The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-10-22

than five years.
Down at Ida Grove, Ida County,
Iowa, and in county too, where
they do not even have whiskey drug
stores let alone open saloons, we are
told by the county clerk of Ida
county that: The hinges on the
doors of the Jail have been idle so
long that they are no longer service
able, and the doors of the Jail which
have been standing open so long
cannot be closed. Sheriff Mcleod
has taken steps to repair the dam
age, although he has no reason to
believe that the jail will be used any
more; for it was two years ago that
the last inmate was placed in the
Jail. But one indictment was re-
turned by the grand jury last year,
the person accused escaped even
Jail term when tried The recent
criminal report prepared by the
county clerk makes the best showing
made by any county in Iowa"
Let Us Find Out The Cause!
We have seen many articles print.
ed in the Mirror in the last few years
on the subject of crime and destitu-
ton and its many causes-together
with many desiderations as to the
more plausible way of curing the
criminal classes and at the same
time remove, or decrease the causes.
These papers in the main have been
well written and prepared with
much forethought it would seem. and
many are written with a. view of
bringing out what does dlmly pre-
sent to the mind, the true causes of
crime, want and misery, with pre-
scription formula which is claimed
will produce cure. None of these
antidotes are applicable to the dis
ease.
We remember years ago med
icine was put on the market with
directions if followed would have
the desired results, it was claimed by
the proprietors that: 1t purified
the blood, gave tone to the stom-
ach. removed the cause and the ef-
| fects ceased
So it is with crime, want and
misery; we need a remedy that will
be effective, then let us purify the
laws, that will give tone to our citi-
zenship, and they will remove the
cause, and then crime and it's effects
will cease
Now as we understand, the Mirror
is the family organ. or mouthpiece,
of the inmates of this institution,
and especially for the state prison
ers was it started. and through it's
columns all inmates who wished to
do so, have always been allowed
and given the liberty by the officials
to discuss in reason all matters of
honorable interest to inmates and
citizens as well, on high plane
all questions that tend to better as
sist our fellows to fully grasp the
true underlying causes of the down.
fall of each of us, together with
what brought US, yes, many of us from
happy homes and honora BILE positions
and lowered us from an honora-
BILE citizenship to that of servile
wards of the State of Minnesota.
Let us search to learn the causes,
and if we find the evil-or the pri-
mary cause in majority of cases to
have been any one certain thing,
then let us be honest with ourselves
and all mankind. and from this time
forth let us not be ashamed to he
found on the side of the right things,
and against the things that cause so
much crime, misery and want.
The State of Minnesota in the
past has unwisely placed some very
unwholesome laws upon her statute
books, and for which all honest men
and women in and out of prison are
sorry! But as Minnesota is our home
by adoption, not of choice but of
subjugation; we are glad to note
she has seen fit to pass some good
wholesome laws, especially has our
state law makers placed on the stat
ute books, few good acts in behalf
of the wards of her various state in
situations. She has been vary care
full to make wise and reasonable pro-
visions for the efficient maintenance
Of her many wards. by placing
around them wise and just protec-
ton in the main-in fact in some
instances better and more wholesome
protection has been vouchsafed to
those in durance vile. than to the
states great body of citizens. and
who are in as much need of protec-
ton as we, who are in durance vile,
| but thew need protection for a differ