Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-02
MORE CRIME-aiHY NOT.

The excessive prevails ce of crime in
this city, especially In Che house-break-
ing and sneak-thlef variety, seems to be
largely occupying the public thought
ard with amplereason.;
1t will not stop until 1t Is stopped;
that much Is certain.
Crime grows with what 1t feeds on.
If II is profitable in this city; if there Is
nothing to pay, it will progress.
Thieves are encouraged and will null
tiply in proportion as the danger of de-
lection and conviction Is small, and
every successful attempt is the conclu-
sive reason for following 1t up.
There is probably no town in ten
States, of the size of Wheeling, where
burglaries are more common and detec-
lions less common. A gang of thieves
have been systematically driving their
trade in all parts of the City for the past
few months without, We might say,
hindrance or molestatioB.
In q majority Of Gases, perhaps,
househOlders are to blame, by leaving
their premises unsecured or ungaurded.
1t would be impossible fer the city au-
thorities to supervise every dwelling
and store in the city, and 1t is only
matter of course, that when property
holders cease to aid the Ulcers by res-
sonable precautions that the thieves
will prosper. An unOceslpied and I'm.
guarded house is q direcl invitations to
thief. A small dog STINT in the house
is ordinarily very effective repulse to
= thief. but with the encouragement
which they are now AaSing, nothing
less than the bark of shotgun will
probably check the bus hess.
But to get down to tlss bottom Of the
matter the only comprehensive and
permanent corrective 81 crime is not
in the civil law, nor in sigilant officers
of the law, but in roofing out the seeds
Of vice and crime which are being gen.
Grated and developed in the by-places
of the city by a thousand influences
and agencies which are overlooked or
winked ut until their legitimate fruits
begin to be dangerously prolific, and
manifest themselves in such acts Of
lawlessness rs are now creating IN un-
easiness in every household. The civil
law is not and never was sufficient
corrective OF crime. II all men were
thieves all the laws that were ever con-
ceived would not protect property, and
just in proportion as the population OF
any city becomes corrupt and inditfer-
ent to moral restraints, will any civil
law become weak or worthless as a
restraining force.
When we admit that this or that
law can not be enforced for
lack of public sentiment to
sustain it, We simply state PROPOSE
ton that is equally true of any law, and
of the very best law. A law that is sb-
stractly good may be very futile among
a people who are not good enough to
appreciate it-who do not make it val
liable by an unwavering sentiment in
its favor.
We do not intend by these sugges-
tions, to intimate that burglary or crime
of any kind, has any sanction from the
public sentiment of this city, bus rather
that public sentiment is sluggish as to
the generating sources of these crimes;
is Indifferent to the budding Of crime
and only aroused when the legitimate
fruit puts out its full proportions. 1t is
hardly necessary for US to enumerate
the influences and agencies that are so
numerous, conspicuous and prolific
In this city in producing crime. we
are becoming very wicked city," is
the common observation. But why
not? The fruit is all legitimate. We
arrest gang of young incendfaries
raised in the city, still in their teens,
and regularly organized to burn proper
", end We wonder at it until we find
their pockets stuffed with dime novels.
But nobody found the dime novels till
after the fires. And 80 it is in other
cases and with other agencies of crime
we wait for the blossom before We
note the bud.