The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-02-26
One Source of Crime.

Iudt CIlIie has Sredlly increased WltDln
the last few years, in Maine and elsewhere,
S indisputable. There has been increase in
intemperance, infrequency of divorce for
offenses to which intemperance leads up,
and in felony In the discussion of the
temperance question, these facts have been
made use of on both sides. Some have con-
tended that the increase in crime is due to
the prohibitory law, and others argue that
the increase is the result of the non-enforce-
ment of that law. Both may be partly in
the right, and both are certainly partly in
the wrong; for crime is more frequent out
side of Maine as well as inside
Our court convictions and State Prison
reports show that majority of the
worst felonies are committed in country
towns where, we have always been told, the
Sproliibitory liquor law is strictly enforced.
If we have been told the truth, the GRIMM
ality in our rural districts is not due to rum.
The sort of crime committed is so nasty and
so violent, requiring for it's preparation so
much physical strength, and self-possession,
and cool skill, that it is altogether unfair to
attribute it to the drunkard. His offenses
against society are of quite another kind.
1t is the fashion to attribute this growth
of vice to the evil effects of our civil war;
and many old and trite things have been
said about the decentralization occasioned by
the dsbanding of great armies made up of
men brought up in the license of camps.
This argument sounds plausible but it is
contrary to facts. Few veterans of our civ
il war are brought before our courts. Many
of them are, by age, or by disease contracted
in service, shut off from vicious pursuits.
Many more have no inclination to vice.
Most of them are respected and useful citi-
zens. The persons arraigned for crime in
this State are not of the generation that re-
stored the Union. The records show that
they are mostly young people who have been
born since the suppression of the rebellion,
or wore diapers or tires while the great fight
was going on. 1t is melancholy fact, one
to be deplored, that most of the crimes
committed in Maine have been committed
by young people who, if the figures fur
nished us are correct, have had no opportu-
ty to drink, who are too young to marry and
divorce, and who have met with no special
temptation to commit crime
The increase of vice among young people
is dreadful phenomenon, earnestly calling
for attention and thorough study that shall
lead, if possible, to its disappearance. To
what is it due? We believe that it is due in
great measure to vicious literature, al
together to the ''fash papers,, but in con-
siderable degree to cheap novels. Both pa
per and novel promote if they do not in SO
many words encourage lawlessness, picture
dissolute ways as delightful, make heroes of
wrongudoers, pander to depraved tastes, cor
rupt healthy ones, and, even in their mildest
form, are low in tone and hurtful in influ-
ence. These cheap publications, cheap in
price and in themselves, are found upon
nearly all the counters Of shops that deal in
printed matter. They are easily obtained
by young people and eagerly read and have
no little influence in shaping characters and
provoking aspirations.
Whether the evil brought about by these
publications can be done away with by leg
islation is questionable. Law may be able
to mitigate the evil. We do not believe it
can destroy the evil. The remedy for this,
as for other injuries to society, is to be
found in an enlightened public sentiment.
Parents should look more carefully after
the reading matter which falls into the
hands OF their young people. There are
nl-c ,,,+ H. 4 4 A.
child will read with avidity if he gets hold
of them. He is eager to read and will read
whatever comes in his way. 1t is just as
easy, and in these days just as economical,
to give him good literature as bad. Once
get him into the v ay of reading good books,
he will shun bad ones He will educate
himself unconsciously and without effort to
desire and take delight in excellent litera-
ture. 1t is just as easy to bring up child
on Walter Scott as ON the dime novel or
''The Boys OWN
The remedy for the evil rests mostly with
parents. That the evil is great is generally
acknowledged How extensive and insinu-
ating it is, few realize. There are even in
our Public Library, useful and excel
lently managed institution, books that no
child should be permitted to touch These
books, do, however, reach the hands of chill
dren.
The publishers have OF la.e come to the
aid of society. Many of them are putting
out ow-priced editions of excellent literary
works. Some of these are reprints of ia
nous old authors, some publications from
the pens of healthful and pure-toned writ
ers Of the present day. Many of these are
novels. But that should be no objection to
them; for there are few things better in
literature than good novel. The child
Graves fiction and will have it. 1t is better
for him to read 'Ivanhoe'' or "The Last of
the Mohicaos," than s'The Scouts Re-
venge," or 'sThe Hot-Corn Girl.' If the
one isn't furnished him he will be pretty
certain to provide himself with the other.
The responsibility for his choice is upon
his elders, and it is high time they are look
ing to it.
The Obelisk, set up in the Central Park.
New York, was turned over to the city on
the 22d of February. 1t was presented by