The mirror., 1915-10-14
Wayside MeditatiOnS
By "Optno"
subiect

city.
We demand that the reformer put
into practice the Utopian theories
he enunciates in his spell binding"
orations. If his theories are prac-
tical they should be put into prac-
tice at once. If they are not prac-
tical, the exponents thereof are but
beating the air. A step toward po-
litical and national reform has been
taken in the various amendments to
the constitution, of which the re
ferendum and recall'' are not the
least.
Civic reformers have 'brot about
spasmodic upheavals In the under
world of large cities, but it is an
open question whether much good
has been accomplished. True, flag
rant vice has been driven from seq
regated districts, but the individuals
have not been reformed. They have
been driven from their natural habi-
tat only to find avenues for their
evil practices in other and better
portions of the city. Such as this
does not make for reform, any more
than a noxious sore drying up on
one part of the body and scattering
over the rest of the body makes for
the healing of such sores, or for the
purifying of the body. Reform is
not dissemination of evil, but is,
rather, elimination thereof. Reform
therefore, is a change of attitude of
an individual toward any or all
forms of evil, and is not brot about
by either segregation or dispersion.
Having agreed in this, that it is a
matter of reforming the individual,
the next step is to ascertain and use
the means best adapted to bring a.
bout this much desired result.
Whether we do or do not believe
in evolution, experience teaches us
that the animal nature dominates
man to a large extent. A vicious
dog or horse is not made less vicious
by brutal treatment. Kick a dog
and more often than not he will at
tack you. Brutally beat and cud-
gel refractory horse, and you not
only increase the element of dan
ger in handling him, but you fail in
your efforts to quiet his disposition.
We reach the animal thru kindli-
ness; much more then should we be
able to direct the physical and men,
tai activities of man into cleaner
and nobler lines, by due considera-
tion of human frailty. and helpful
encouragement toward better living.
Man has attributes superior to the
lower animals. and because of this,
greater possibilities of complete re-
formation are within ready access
Of those who put forth a sincere ef-
fort to bring about the reformation
of the transgressor. But to subju-
gate man to a state of abject spine
less cringing thru brow beating and
brutality does not make for reform
alton of the individual.
The man who has been guilty of
error, and is paying his debt to So
ciety by penal servitude, is. or
should be, special subject for con-
sideration by the reform propaganda
lists. Practical demonstration of
humane reformative methods in
handling evil doers, will benefit, not
only the prison inmate, but society
as we'll. Release a man after years
of harsh and cruel treatment; years
during which his mentality has been
stultified, his initiative benumbed or
deadened, his disposition thoroly
soured because of unjust treatment
at the hands of his gaolers, and you
release human animal made venge-
full, and further menace to society
by the very officials whose duty it
is to protect society. On the other
hand, demonstrate to him that the
milk of human kindness is still
sweet and nourishing; accord him
h fMn -.