The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-08-05
e DIT o II / A l. =.

The MIRROR has done twenty-elght FULL years
and with this issue begins its twenty ninth year.
1t is happy for us to say that it has been in
the Solitary or lost days good time" While
our little paper has striven at all times to make
good record it has not done so with a view to
securing pardon or Communication of sentence"
The MIRRORS aim has ever been as the sage who
hath said Il live that ght do good and do good
that might live.' That this desire and purpose
has been fulfilled there be no doubt, there is
evidence on all sides that the MIRROR has steadily
grown in favor more and more with each issue as
the public learned its true purpose. 1t has gained
standing and reputation of which the inmates
may Justly be proud. We know the MIRROR is
welcomed wherever it goes, and it has large cir
culation. Our family paper goes into homes
throughout all of the states in the u s.: and travels
regularly each week to far distant Chinas Philip
pine Islands, England, Norway Sweden and
Canada, as WE'LL Our exchange list is also large
The MIRROR is on the exchange list of every news
paper in Minnesota, except two; exchanges with
papers published in Texas, San Francisco, Montana,
Iowa, Illinois, both North and South Dakota, Wis
consin, New York, Pennsylvania, Canada and num-
erous other weekly publications throughout the
Union come to our desk in exchange for the MIR
RoR as we'll as all penal publications exchanging
with us.
The idea of the establishment of the MIRROR
was conceived by the inmates, and appeal to
Mr.. A. R. McGill, then governor of Minnesota,
was made by fifteen inmates to permit them to
print weekly paper Sanctioned by the Cover
nor, with the approval of Warden Stordock and
Deputy Warden Mr.. j. A. Westby, the fifteen
inmates loaned from their hard earned cash the
necessary amount to start the cause aong-the re-
spective of each inmate having been returned
after the first year of prosperity.
We print herewith the Salutatory of the
Maiden ISSUE" together with the Statistics of
Population and Roster of Resident Officials; and
the Shareholders of the MIRROR:
1t is with little pride and pleasure that
present to you, kind reader, this our initiative
number of the Prison MIRROR, believing as we do,
that the introduction of the printing press into the
great penal institutions of land is the first i'm
portant step taken toward solving the great prob
lem of true prison reform. With this our maiden
issue, of The MIRROR, is born a new innovation in
to the heretofore dark, dreary, monotonous exist
ence of those whom fate hath led downward to the
narrow confines of prison cell and branded as
social outcasts; upon the darkened lives of SUCH it
shall be the great mission of The MIRROR to
reflect glad ray of hope to light and encourage
them toward higher and nobler life, to Danish
from their hearts the midnight gloom of prejudice,
envy and malice, and in their bosoms reflect the
cheering light of reason, truth and love.
1t shall be the untiring mission of the MIR
RoR" to encourage prison literary talent, and to
instruct assist encourage, and entertain all those
within our midst, and to scatter words of warning
upon the unwary pathway of those in the outside
world, whose reckless footsteps may be leading
them hitherward. In thus, sending forth to the
world this humble little sheet, we trust and pray
that it is destined to become the corner stone of the
great pedestal wherein shall stand the living statue
of truth, bearing aloft. the flaming torch of mercy,
justice and reason; and from the sands of this tiny
brooklet there may be gathered many brilliant
gems of truth to forever decorate the sovereign
heads of honor, manhood and right. 1t shall be
our earnest endeavor to bury melancholy estrange-