Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1880-02-25

volution. Politicians who have
disregarded the voice of the peo-
pie, have been swept from power
by foundations Of ballots.
While the object of law 10 to
benefit mankind, it is too often
made an instrument for infiicting
endless misery. 1t viii sometimes
take boy who has committed his
first offense, more through heed
lessness than wilfulness, and will
brand him forever as criminal ;
it will close the paths of society TO
him, and prevents him forever
from following an honest business.
There are few records of men be-
ing converted from evil ways by
being sent to Jail. The evilness in
them is clinched to their systems
by imprisonment, instead of being
extracted.
The records OF the past have
proved that men who are habitual
offenders must be kept separate
from the people at large. Such
men, owing principally to the cir
cumstances of early life over which
they had no CONTROL, have proved
their unfitness to mingle, free and
unrestrained, among their fellow
men. The law has therefore de-
creed that such men should be
kept in confinement, not for the
purpose of Furnishing them, but TO
prevent them from continuing their
evil deeds, and this fact, it seems
to Us, should be kept in mind by
judges when sentencing men for
minor violations of the laws. II
the evidence is strong enough to
convince the judge that the offend
er will not repeat the offense, then
be is entitled to the mercies Of the
court. 1t is not right, when a man
has fallen into temptation for the
first time, that be should be de-
graded forever, but il he proves an
habitual offender, mercy is wasted
and does more harm than good.
Believing that the main object
of the law is to prevent wrong sc-
tons, and not to merely infict
punishment, and also that both So
ciety and the offender will he ben
Gifted thereby, we cordially ap-
prove of Judge Tuttle's action in
remitting the term Of imprison-
ment from Michael Clark's SEN
tence.
Mr.. Clark was a liquor dealer,
and broke law by selling liquor
to a minor. AS far as we know,
this i. Mr.. Clark's first offense
against a law. The law in ques-
ton is a good law. This law hav-
ing been defied, it was necessary
that some action should be taken
so that the offense should not be
repeated. Mr.. Clark was arrested
and fined 500 and costs, and 80
days Imprisonment. A petition was
got up and signed by many of
the citizens, asking the Judge to
remit the imprisonment-Mr. Clark
binding himself to quit the liquor
business. The Judge assented.
If Mr.. Clark had been sent to
Ionia, what good would have re-
suited therefrom! Would it have
made him a better citizen! Would |
it have put an end to his liquor
selling business Would the State
and society be a gainerl In this
particular case we think not.
BY renting the Imprisonment
part Of the sentence, there is one
liquor store less in town, and there
is one more man in the temperance
ranks. We believe that Judge
futile had convincing evidence
that Mr.. Clark would keep his
pledges, and knowing this, he has,
in amending the sentence, done q
wise act, not only as regards Mr..
Clark, but as regards society, for
every man enlisted in the ranks of
temperance is benefit to the en-
tire community-it makes the
right side one man stronger.
Mr.. Clark pays the fine and costs,
the amount OF which will proba-
bly, be 5000, and this is no light
penalty for poor man to pay.
II those two papers who are
screaming for blood and the de-
of a human soul, and who
seem to think more of inflexibility
than humanity, had to be made
to pay 5000 each, they would be