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<LI)c Jlmon JUirror. —No. 28 VOL. VI Jfrrr The Mirror. A GOOD MAN GONE WRONG Where now are those striped trousers That •• Old Jayson ” used to wear? Safety warders, charm-environed — Even ghosts had to forbear. Carefully each night lie placed them. Life-like, on his cellroom chair. With his cap and jacket added: And no spooks dar’d enter there. Balmy sleep, that sweet restorer, O’er him now. no vigil keeps; Through his haggard eye-lids, redden'<l. Threaten’d reason darts and leaps. Oive him back those striped trousers; Or. before the summer’s dawn. , He will pass beyond redemption He “clean bug-liouse” will have gone Tried the rabbit-foot with failure; And “ pugwudjies’ ” arts to tame. And debar those night marauders— But they got there just the same. All night long tobacco chewing Wan and grooved, his sable brow Does it as a spook-preventive. He is getting “ buggy ” now. Much he fears new-fangled boot jacks Nothing could upset him more. Than that crab-shaped iron monster. On the Usher’s chamber floor. Early in the morning was it. As the pale light sickly gleamed; Quiet, calm and peaceful lying While he howl’d and yell’d and scream’d Often in his thoughtful moments— Wondered how the women-folks. Charm’d away events portentous. In this direful reign of spooks. .Sought advice; and says, they told him: " As a charm from spdbks and haunts Wear wide-bottom’d. knickerbocker. Lisle-thread, cotton, striped pawnts.” Shorn I’okt What Is the Cause? During my sojourn here 1 have no ticed that some of the men who have served time here and were discharged, came back within a short space of time: sometimes only two or three months having elapsed since they had regained their freedom. I’pon entering society, instead of trying to become honest and to earn their livelihood by hard work thereby showing the intention to make up for the past, and thus perhaps again win the respect and good will of the people) they deliberately set to work to commit a new crime, knowing full well that outraged law, should they be caught, would punish them and send them back to the home they are only rit to occupy a felons cell. I would like to ask those, to whom the above may apply, if liberty and re spectability is worth so little to them, that they will rather make a dollar dis honestly, than to turn their hands to some honest labor for honest wages? A man must be indeed devoid of all self-respect, who prefers only a few months of freedom and then comes back here to drudge from morning till night, year after year, for the state, in order to procure his board and lodging and a pittance of ten cents per day if he con ducts himself well. Thank God the percentage of these cases is comparatively small: the ma jority of those discharged during the past year, as far as I can glean, are earning their bread honestly, a few even occupying responsible positions, which they till to the satisfaction of their em ployers. Here are among us, no doubt, a great many young men, who were not born witli criminal tendencies, and whose training has been above the average young men. in fact, who have always followed an honorable calling, until through misfortune they were driven to misappropriate the money of their employers, the amounts often being mere pittances. I have often thought, Would it not be better for society at large, as well as for the offender, if the judge would suspend the sentence of the unfortunate, during his good be havior, if the offense be his first, and his previous character warrants such leniency ? Or, again, would it not be wiser and more humane to give the prisoner a sentence, ranging from three to six months in order to give him a taste of a convict’s life? In nine cases out of ten the lesson would be suffi cient. On the other hand, should he, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO MEND.” STILLWATER, MINNESOTA, FEBRUARY IG, 1893. thus favored, return to the path of crime, send him back to prison for an indefinite time, unless he gives proof that he has tried every possible way to secure employment and live a straight life without success, in which case he is more to be pitied than to be blamed. A prominent judge in England whose name I cannot recall, wrote some time ago that in his estimation, long sen tences passed upon first offenders had a greater influence in making him a full fledged criminal, than anything else could possibly do, but that repeaters should be secured and held in prison until they showed positive signs of re form. I hope the time may not be far off, when the people pf the United States will begin to see the truth of these words, and legislatures will pass laws to verify them. Hector. Do Reformatories Reform? Institutions for the reformation of the erring are one of the advances made in the treatment of criminals. Experi ence has demonstrated the wisdom of that advance, and the purpose that they effect to accomplish is admitted to be within the range of its powers. The efforts of the system are confined to the young, to the less hardened, to those in whom are recognized qualities that are properly developed and will make the individual a desirable member of socie ty. In view of that fact, it is difficult to estimate the correct worth of such institutions. That the system is pro ductive of some good all will admit: that it accomplishes all that is claimed for it by its advocates is a matter of some doubt. Every one that has gone forth from such institutions, and made among his fellow men a reputation for industry and integrity, is paraded as a product of the efforts of such institu tions, and is referred to as a reformed criminal. In him there may have never existed a desire to lead a criminal life, nor any ambition to cultivate such a de sire. The qualities which he displays in his present mode of life, may not owe their origin to any influence executed by such institution: their growth may not have been stimulated, and it is pos sible that it was retarded: for their is a demoralizing influence in all penal institutions that it is impossible to eradicate. Yet such men are cited as examples of what the institutions are capable of producing. The indetermin ate sentence is advocated by many of the exponents of reform; and in an ar ticle I read last week, the writer refers to the determinate sentence as inhu man inasmuch as it inflicts unneces sary punishment. Would the indeter minate sentence be free from the same defects ? Would it not be the means of inflicting a punishment on many, which their crime did not merit, and which their friendlessness would be the only cause of? Would it retain that princi ple to which all other interests are sub ordinate, the sense of justice ? That it is possible for one man. or a body of men. to decide when this man should be liberated, according to his moral condition, a true knowledge of which, is beyond their power to ascertain, with out committing grevious errors, is one of the fallacies of theoretical philan throphy. Supposing that such men would be exempt from the prejudices of mankind, and that they would dispas sionately and with honesty endeavor to fulfill the functions required of them, it does not insure that their efforts would be reasonably free from error. The the ory is, that they would base their judg ment on the man's present actions, and his future intentions. In practice it would gravitate to a point where the man's past would be the principle factor. Assuming that position, they would not have removed the dfficulties with which they would be beset, for a man's past cannot be taken as an index of what his future would be: and, moreover, it is particularly misleading in the circum stances that they would be called upon to face. A man may have led an upright life up to the time of his offense: that offense may be the first step in a path Which it is his intention to follow. On the other hand, a man’s path may be marked by a series of crimes, and he may have resolved that his future shall be free from such deeds. ()f the two, which M ould be the one that M ould be given a trial ? .T. F. Our American Sabbath Our form of government allouing equal freedom of thought and ballot to all citizens, and our excellent system of free schools, which afford to the rising generation an education enabling them not only to cope uith the ever present difficulties of life, but also to build a higher ideal of civilization, are tu o feat ures uhich make this land a beacon light to all people of the earth. The public press is also u orthy of mention, tor through it we are made acquainted uith all marks of progress: and u ith every item of interest from the four quarters of the earth. In many other u ays free America sets an example of advancement and virtue, not the least among uhich is the sacredness uith uhich she observes her Christian Sabbath. The Pilgrim Fathers tilled u ith a long ing desire to obtain freedom of religious belief and worship, deeply implanted in the minds of their posterity the great need of a strict observance of (lod’s fourth commandment to his people. -Sunday is not observed merely from the standpoint of duty, but with one accord the machinery of the work-shop is si lenced. business is suspended and man M'illingly rests; not to engage in idle pursuits or wickedness, but to turn his thoughts on the “giver of every good and perfect gift." In this thrice bless ed land of liberty, on hill and in valley, countless spires pierce the heavenly dome; while from ocean to ocean, and the lakes to the gulf, innumerable bells peal forth the glory of the Maker of earth and sky. bidding man forsake the cares and toils of six-day labor and hasten on the appointed day of rest. Contrast this with the Sabbath of the continent, where races, the dance, fine parades of fashion, and various other kinds of worldly amusements, are con tinually indulged on the day which Cod commanded should be kept holy. In view of the World's Fair to be held in the near future, a question of great im portance is before the American people. Although this question has been decided bv Congress, there is still danger of a reconsideration, and as we have desired the steps taken, we should be more de termined that the resolution continue to stand. "The gates of the World’s Fair grounds shall not be open on Sun day.’’ What an example for the l nited States to set before the world! She. who is the land of Christian light and liberty. She. who is heeding with more zeal than ever before the cry of Macedonia, "come over and help us." Shall she then invite the world to an exposition and sdy to it. ”l»ring over your continental Sabbath; come with your day of revelling, and without restriction of law.” Many points have been argued in favor of Sunday opening at the World's Fair. The Hoard of Commissioners make the assertion that Sunday will bring the greatest fi nancial returns. This may be true, but is our country in such a needful state that she must endanger her good name for gain of a few paltry dollars V Again, it is claimed that the workingman has no day on which to visit the metropolis, unless the .Fair is open on Sunday, and the Hoard even wishes to compromise by opening the gates and not running the machinery. Men are not now en slaved by long hours of work as in form er years : and most factories stop opera tion in the heat of the summer, while all business men, clerks, etc., are given a short vacation. So that every laboring man who can at all offord to visit Chi cago will find ample time for viewing the miniature world. These are the prin ciple arguments tor petitioning Con gress to recind their action; and we think the claims do not warrant any change of decision. America has al ready suffered from the insurrection of anarchists and in the months that will soon dawn, when this country will be overrun with foreigners from every na tion, the laws which embody our noblest principles of purity and truth, should be rigidly enforced. If these are neg lected the lesser ones will not be obeyed, thus foreigners will have full sway to establish their baser ideas. Why not, by our actions, inform other nations, before the opening of the Fair, that when they visit America they must do as Americans do, and then the exposi tion will mark a period of advancement in our country's history instead of it having a demoralizing effect. Leisure and Scientific Research The people of the United States are deemed the world over to be pre-emi nently a vigorous, progressive, practical and versatile race; but alas, also, one of the most unrest ful, the majority having forgotten the meaning of the word leisure. AVe are prolific of invention; quick to adopt, and. if possible, to im prove upon any foreign invention or creation. Xearly all the scientific in vestigations and researches, carried on throughout this country, have some ulterior and selfish motive (that of a pecuniary nature being the most usual), and were originally begun because there was a demand for some new creation- being thus, as it may be called, a forced growth, the entire aim and object to assist the material welfare and progress, and not with the idea of benefiting hu manity, irrespective of the honor or emoluments to be obtained. Let us consider for a moment the science of medicine, this being eminent ly one of study and research. All the discoveries of world-wide influence in this science, within the past ten or fif teen years, we owe to some European. While we have many specialists in the various branches, their eminence.is the result of practice and study, not re search; they do not seem either to pos sess the time or leisure that is required, being fully occupied with their studies to keep abreast of the best thoughts, and in the pursuit of their practice. Others holding professorships in our universities or colleges, their entire at tention is engaged in teaching. To il lustrate. 1 will mention two examples. First, the eminent German scholar, I)r. Koch. Who but remembers the sensa tion produced, and at first the credulity with which the announcement of his bacteria doctrine, especially that of the cholera, was received; and of his remedy and cure for consumption ? Second, that equally prominent French scholar, I)r. Pasteur, with his innoculation against hydrophobia, and. within the past few months, against cholera. llow were these results obtained? Simply by years of unremitting, patience, la borious study and research; and the chief requisite, for such study and re search was leisure. Without leisure, the tranquility and repose necessary to do such work is absent. People must have time to meditate, pause, and medi tate again, to enable them to concen trate the whole force of their reason on the one subject: they cannot be hurried. This is not only the case in the medical profession, but also in all other sciences. If then such results can be obtained through the habit of leisure, would it not be a wise policy to say the least for the American people to cultivate the habit? Obskrvkr. ‘•Did'nt Mooney s6rve two terms in. congress V ” “No-o; my recollection is that he served one, and was just about to serve another when his constituents pardoned him out.” — Puck. Personal Experience Necessary. ‘•Naw,” said Patrolman McAnarest, “a mon kin niver tell wot he’ll do in a pinch antil he gets pinched himself.”— Puck. Tcsmb . ' * l - 00 l >er year, in advance, i cKMb. , gj x Months 00 Cents. A. A. W Executive Clemency