New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-06
TEE zYGL0SAEON 0ZLLOwS


The Spectator advances the curious argument that
no other form Of death than hanging would suit the
English people, the reason assigned being that they
have learned to look that form alone as disgrace
full. Ii also doubts whether perfectly painless
death would not tend TO deprive capital punishment
of all deterrent influence and thinks IL also I'm"
pOrtant not to degrade science by making 1t an ac-
complice In the executioners task il would be II
the electric battery employed" Perhaps II 10
hardly necessary to point out that this objection Is
ridiculous; that science" cannot be degraded Dy
any conceivable employment OF the forces OF ma
tnre and that nature and not science Is RESPONSE
BILE for the existence of electricity. But the idea
that hanging is In mysterious sense the appro-
pirate Anglo-Saxon form Of punishment has the
charm of originality If it possesses no other merit.
1t is true that hanging has been pracised by nearly
all nations and that it was the fayorite method OF
execution in Franco for many centuries, though
The Spectator thinks the guillotine typical of the
Gallo temperament. Hanging, however, is appsr-
emily the most crude and clumsy mode OF execu-
ton; it is not certain that II is always painless;
and therefore it may be thought to have peculiarly
terrifying effect. But criminal history proves that
hanging never yet produced the effect attributed to
it.
When there were seventy capital offences in Eng
land, when o. FIVE shilling larceny was hanging
matter crime was rifer than it has ever been since
AS matter of fact hanging did not deter at ALL and
therefore the theory that there Is some special VIZ
tue in the mode of punishment Ills to the ground.
Modern experience appears to justify the CONCLUSION
that the abrogation of capital punishment Is not
followed by such consequences as to vlndicate the
change but that when death is inflicted there is no
valid reason why it should not be prompt and pain
less. 1t is indeed not little surprising that there
has not been moro effort to substitute for the gal
lows some less savage and rude form of execution.
Science has abundant means of killing in the most
swift and painless manner, yet we cling TO methOd
which Is often neither one nor the otheI IL human
life is to be taken at all in the interest and for the
protection of society it certainly ought to be taken
as merolfully as possible Anything that suggests
torture is unworthy modern civilization. The pun
fshment-the most severe that can be conceived
consists in forcing the criminal out OF this world
To insist that the manner of death also should be
harsh is a refinement of cruelty. Many thinkers hope
that in time the death penalty may be abolished,
but at the same time it is necessary to remember
that murdcrers are with us yet, and experience
shows that the only way to enforce the sacredness
of human life often is to take that of an assassin.
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The carelessness of pilots on the HOboben ferry
boats has become fragrant that the managers
cannot afford to ignore it. Not many months ago
a Barclay-st boat ran across the track OF an
Erie boat and in IFS collision narrowly escaped
serious disaster Two weeks later a Christopher
st. boat ran down a barge. which sank with one OF
its crew Two months afterward a DOWNTOWN
boat sent a tug boat TO the bottom Last Thursday
a ChrlstOpher-st. boat steered, almost at full
speed straight against the side of the slip. Pas
sengers were thrown down and injured horses were
pitched forward and the side of the deck was al
most split apart. In none of these cases did the
pilots make satisfactory explanations IL HODoAen
beer is 10 blame would it not be better to put the
boats in charge of less reckless men and give the
present pilots permanent vacation in tho Elysian
Fiedsf
The drollest panic Little Pedlington journalism
ever exhibited was that into which the poor old
fines was thrown at the chance of its readers being
induced to subject it at close range to the risks OF
comparison with The TRIBUNE. Papers that are
worth their price always welcome such COMPARE
sons.
new anarchist journal published at Geneva
bears the appropriate title of The Explosion. That
name typifes modern anarchist ideas very COM
pletely. These aetatOrs do not desire reform of
any kind, but simply destruction Of every kind.
They do not trouble themselves with projects for
the ameioration of evils. They only propose to
smash and explode all existing institutions After
having exploded society utterly they trust to luck
for the new growth. Unlike their predecessors
who had absorbed the sentimental philosophy of
Rousseau, these men have no tenderness for hu-
manity. They are ferocOus oranks, in short, and
while they have shown their capacity to bring
about isolated Grimes there is not the least danger
that their foolish doctrines will DO accepted
by any but very small minority of semi-lunatics.
Society generally will continue to regard them as
nuisances, TO be summariy suppressed whenever
they proceed from raving to action.
The breezy and animated story of Jacks Court
shIp" is concluded in this issue of THE TRIBUNE. 1t
has been the theme Ofmuch pleasant comment from
our readers who will doubtless rejoice in the pros
porous ending of jacks adventures aud his sweet
hearts troubles Attractive as this story has been,
its successor promises to be of even fascinat
ing quality.
1t appears that considerable feeling exists among
the mining population concerning the late disaster
III the Pocahontas coal mine, through which one
hundred and fifty lives were lost. IL is alleged
that the accident was caused by gas; that the mine
was known to be gas" niue. but that the man
ayers had taken no precautions not even employ
ing gas testers; and that the superintendent was
not practical miner himself and refused to take
advice from those who realized the danger of the
workings. The majority of the men who lost their
lives it is said wero common labOrors, and knew
nothing about mining, and therefore they went on
working unsuspiciOusly in an atmosphere which
would have warned experienced miners OF course
it is Impossible TO say whether these statements
are true but Independently of them it is clear that
the case ought to be investigated. Such loss of
life is far too serious matter to be passed over
lightly.
The English press appears to be generally graft
6 a H..