Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-21
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH OUR
CRIMINALS

nv 10 uniAu IN o'c paP't' o'"' '''NC" II
i, be of considerable length; and to do
this Will discuss points Intimately CON
nected with the one Of deportation. rs
well as the main question. ,
The study OF civilized society IN th"
unit and the aggregate, shows that 1t 's'
primarily, a compact ot the h"ncst ana
industrious for the peaceah'e enjoyment
OF the fruits OF their laburs. Those not
honest and industrious are not members
OF the social swarm but are nterlopcrs
1t they do not prey OF the workers one
WAY they do another. The workers can
not Ignore the parasites, and to treat
them harshlv cultivates in themselves
barbaruuS feelings. 1t IS III error to
suppose that education reforms cIim ~
as or keeps any one from becoming
criminal. Herbert Spencer punctured |
this blown error by asking how skill IN
par.lng could increase the sentiment OF
Justice. Criminals are more strongly
disposed by nature, al all periods OF
their lives. to prey on the workers than
to work. The attention ol the w"rkels
is so taken up with work, that they re-
luctant.y. and only when forced 10 do so,
take time to defend themselves against
this criminal. parasitic force. 1t being
the sole or chlcf business OF the crimina!
10 prev on the industrious. and only par
tIallv the business OF the industrious 10
defend himself from being thus proved
upon. the criminal finds il comparatively
easy to live by prey. And never, under
any circumstances, will his victim allow
him to s,arve. lt,out Of prison, he steals
q loaf. we merely put Kim in comiorta-
bic quarters and give him loaves al tb-
,t4m If we attempt 70 get labor enough
ont of him 10 pay the expense he has
caused us, we bui ID Chinese wall
around our state, on which there ar.
numerous notices 20 honest iaborers
coming here TO work, that there is nc
troom for them, the work they might dc
being done by convicts, 1t there is any
,. sale tor the products OF convict labor. Il
is plain that coUyicts are coTnpet' nl
with honest labor, One Of the mos
common lOrns OF convict labor IS th'
manufacture Of boots and shoes. In th
Hcst, here the hides are produced, ,ther
should be tanneries and manu;tctorIe
OF leather goods. This interest, tina
which there Ia not more important one
should not be traupled down by convic
labor The cost of the Convicts in tn
prnitentiary Is tt smn.i part OF the cot {
crminslity. The grea, cost comes fruI
the fact that the crimina.ly disposed AT
constantly prey!ng upon the worker
and depriving them Of the fruits OF the
.abors. The surplus earnings OF Il
An worker must 60 toward buying lock
bolts. bars. weapons Of defense, al
building jails. paying prosecuting ATTIC
neys and other officers. 1t ough, 10
toward the building OF more raj ront
factories, more homes and more beau
tai ones. and paying Tor more educate
and culture. Instead Of enjoying an Q
ward aud upward civilization in Al 4
celerated degree OF speed, we are !!
men
''To,l.as thro' rmru"s,rr,b'e SAINT,
because OF the rctardiuG Influence OF q
criminal body in our midst. Thereto
as the criminal is not properly a NE
ber Ut society, tries IT, defeat the ends
,ociety. cannot be reformed as ."ng
he can 80 easily prey on society. we g.
,.fn only e4pel him. He who is neither HI
est nor industrious has no birthright
All American citizen. l. we examine
t, the question OF the supply OF crit
nails. We find additional reasons for
portatiou. There Is in our case the
erags number of criminals born in
country, the hane as in the others. OF
things being equal Our race has
sorbed considerable quantity OF the
tive Indian blood. rs the two races h
been always in contact on the irontl'
The descendant, Of these Indians dot
less preserve through many general!
the feelings of their savage aacest'
even alter their Indian blood cease s
show itself in their appearance. We
ported from Africa tor century nj
i bers of the most debased savages knc
:. TO mankind. Their descendants to
number of over four millions are
among US The census of the Tn
States shows greater per centage
criminals among northern than am
southern negroes. Nothing but the 81
discipline Of slavery would have tau
these savages and their descendants
ines'imable lesson of the value of la
Every feeling of humanity must be
fled that on many OF them this discip
is not lost. But it must inevitably
cur that some OF them will. in diSl
tiou aud habits. revert TO the type
their ancestors. They will largely
intorce the criminal class in this couu
and the salvation OF whatever elemcr
good there IS in the negro race in
United States. depends on the weet
out of the worst elements Europe
another source of criminal mate
Amoog those coming here volunta
there sre always some whose feel
are emhlt,ered against society. and
have lorg considered themselves
tied TO prey upon those who were 4!
them and wko are generally their
pressors. Our government has dete
some European courts allowing or
mails to go free il they would come tc
United States. No doubt the case
which they have not been detected
feast more numerous than those in which
have. A French authoress OF not,
one of her books about the United ST
naively regrets that France did not a
the plan which she says has been
orally ad pied in Europe. of sen
"Eecume de Ia socictc' to us
she considered the scum OF society.
ever, includes some of its best eeu
the political rebels OF Europe. f
iEcludes as we'll all manner o! hi
animals OF prey The large liberty