The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-05-15
CRIME AND ITS COaaECTIv6s,

Texas has arrived at that point IN
her history when she can no longer
tampor with her best interests, as they
are involved Ia the question Of law and
order and perioree, crime and It's cor-
receives, Atan early day In the hiss
tory of our state, or before independ'
ence was declared, an excellent class of
people came here, attracted by the
40 lial climate, rich soils and other adj
yaniages, These were the intelligent,
enterprising characters who always
move In the vanguard of civilization,
and they must not be coniounded with
tho lawloss criminals who came In
afterward, seeking that asylum which
was denied them nj home, under the
laws they had violated, The influx of
this latter class Is not q solitary expert.
ence and confined TO Texas, II Is but
the common experience OF all frontier
countries, In the newer and more
sparsely settled districts OF Texas this
population has maintained steady ms,
tendency, to the delriment Of the fair
name Of tho state, A few bad men
have, by their activity, been able TO
grade Texas many degrees below her
rightrul position as q law abiding com.
monweallh, 1t Is time the state takes
measures to drive them out or render
their residence here 80 unpleasant and
Improbable ~ that they will Of their
own impulse take flight for other lands
still newer and still further west.
Tho immunity so long enjoyed by
this class, has been due to the ease and
facility with which the consequences of
crime could hitherto be avoided, The
insecure character of the .jails and
prisons of the state has been q great
dotrment to the cause of justice.
Jail breaking has hitherto been com
mon occurrence There is not n county
prison in all Texas but which has given
up its inmates time and again, Huns
dreds Of lawless men are safely let out,
or easily let themselves out, upon u pa
ticnt and long,sullering community
every year. 1t is time some extraordi.
nary means be used to correct this evil,
and Governor IIubbards proclamation,
offering large special rewards for the
apprehension of Jail breakers, is just
the thing which ought to have been
done years and years before. We com
mend the act, and trust to see fewer of
these disgroceful acts in the future,
The Governor has certainly taken II
long stride ahead, and one which will
produce results which cannot fail to be
satisfactory
The certainty Of punishment is the
great corrective OF crime. Bad men are
never deferred from its commission by
any other influence than fear of the CON
sequences. Heretofore, if criminal
has been apprehended, the chances OF
jail.breaking has always entered into
his calculations Of ways and means 10
defeat justice, and certainly none 9th r
could be relied upon with greater conf
dcnce. Whether our jails are violated
from the inside or out, let the punish~
ment follow swift and sure. Leta thief
or murderer but once understand that
when justice puts her hand upon him,
the clutch will not be relaxed until all
her ends have been abundantly served,
and the effect will be tremendous, i'm
mediate and most satisfactory.
Governor Hubbard is right, and he
will receive the plaudits of every advo-
cate Of law and order in Texas,