Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-11
SACRAMENTO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.
The Opening Last Evening-Lecture by
Professor Norton.

PROFESSOR NOTtOu.
The first lecture before the Sacramento
Educational Institute was given last evening
by Professor Merton to an exceedingly large
and interested audience. It was advertised
to be held at the Presbyterian Church, but
before the hour for the lecture to commence
the house was filled to OVERLOOKING, and an
adjournment was made to the Sixth street
NJ. E. Church, which was filled to its utmost.
The object of the Institute was stated by
its President, Mr. Felix Tracy, and then Pro-
lessor Norton was introduced.
The lecturer commenced with discussion
OF parasiti-m in nature and in human life.
Examples were presented OF psrasItIcal
plants and animals which exhibited the type
OF extreme degradation. The highest result
of civilization Is to exalt the individual: to
intensity and exals personal will and develop
ment We find that not merely in the
polyp life of the sea or in human society and
the body polite, psrasitism is disastrously
developed The vagrant and the tramp
are parasitical upon society, therefore going
down in progressive degradation. They are
the Gcari and pedacuIi upon the body polite.
Whence do they come? They are a new
feature in our American society. The mem
cries of our childhood recall days in which
paupeTism and vagrancy were almost un-
known.
SEVERAL SECONDARY CAUSES
Were suggested. Among these cessation of
railroad building. Formerly from 5000 to
5000 miles of railroads were being built each
year. and immense armies of men thus EN-
ployed These industries are now greatly
diminished and largely performed by me-
chanical and chemical agencies. The i'm
proved processes of agriculture have greatly
diminished the demand for manual labor.
This is one of the leading causes.
The growth of incompetence is doubtless q
strong second ny agent Sacramento spends
more than 5000, coo year for alcoholic
drinks, and the whisky bill of America the
past year exceeds 500, coo, coo. This is but
the direct cost the indirect expenses ex-
coed all computation. Immigration of the
lowest and most dangerous classes Of Europe
is also powerful accessory. Oar prisons are
filed up by alien convicts, and our aims
houses with foreign-born paupers. Out
Of 34G convicts discharged from the Massa-
chusetts Penitentiary last year only "a were
born Of American parents, and but few of
them were of the Protestant faith. 0ne
great danger in our midst is the establish
ment of a fixed, hereditary type of
paupers and criminals like the lazzaroni OF
Naples. The fact is that we are rearing in
our midst caste of Migrants and criminals
as much worse than the barbarians of old as
the city cesspool is worse than the forest
morass. He would treat the question of in
temperance in connection with the local op-
ton law.
The example of Kansas was adduced, which
has for twenty years practiced this law, and
an army of temperance youth is the result
Local option, said the speaker, is the only
available Temperance legislation for Califor-
mia.
Secondly-There should be Immediately
established a refuge for paupers or Migrants
in every county in California. At present we
are supporting these at an enormous cost in
the form Of incendiaries, thefts and the more
brutal crimes. These refugees should be
places where honest labor will purchase
wholesome food, shelter and reasonable means
and methods of instruction. The duty of
such legislation presses heavily upon the pres
ent session of the Legislature
Our method OF dealing with criminals was
then discussed. Our law assumes that every
criminal may be reformed by the infiction of
penalties, whereas this often only hardens
the criminal in his love of evil. A tendency
to crime is doubtless q hereditary instinct
There are certainly thousands of organic
criminals In our midst, who, sent forth into
society, are likely to rear families of their
own type. The only safety is to gradually
and permanently Withdraw from society this
evil element. 1t was suggested that all ser
fences for felonies be for an undetermined
period; that all questions of pardon should
be referred to a board of wise physicians,
who might be able to determine between the
organic criminal and those who by unfortu-
nate circumstances were forced into crime
PENAL COLONIES
Upon some OF the more fertile islands along
our coast were suggested as n permanent
home for the worst class of criminals, afford
ing them opportunity for labor Sand for such
mammal and religious culture as thew are
capable Of receiving. In this way the germs
of evil may be greatly eliminated from So
ciety The lecturer closed with an earnest
appeal to the young people 70 make of life
serious thing TO fortify themselves by large
and liberal culture against temptation, and
to enieavor to become so prepared that they
might in a better fashion than their
solve these great questions
of social silence. Great dangers be-
set the civilization of to-day, but
the cost is not hopeless If the true and earnest
men and women Of the land will take counsel
together and strive earnestly for better things.
The lecture throughout was what was ex-
pected OF the Professor as indicated by the
audience--a rich treat, full of advanced
thought and the method Of treatment was
in the extreme. The next lecture
OF the Institute viii be given on the evening
of3 Wednesday, January och, by Dr.. J. Il.
Wythe, of Oakland. upon the subject of
g Living Matter" Thereafter there Will be
a lecture upon the second aad fourth Wednes.
do avaninUc Of aach