The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-10-16
SEASONS OF CRIME.

SEASONS OF CRIME.
The country is just now passing
through an epidemic of crime, to
which Texas makes its pro rata con-
tribution. There are seasons of moral
just as there periods of physi-
cal maladies. The latter is the legiti- +
mate result of the filthy surroundings
of humany, while the former is the
legitimate outcropiDg of q filthy mo- 1
raj condition of society. One is de-
structiye to the contentment and hap
piness of families, the other fatal to
the prosperity and comfort of COM
munities, counties and states. The
bodily maladies produce bodily death;
the moral affections result in public
inhumanities, Gisgracefut and fatal to
organized society. Bodily disease may
be quarantined against, may be ar
rested by sanitary measures; the mo-
raj affections are more difficult to COM
bat, while they are more hurtful in
comparative sense. Crime is not only
rampant in Texas, but it is prevalent
in every part of the United States.
Robberies, burglaries, arson, murder,
rape, all contribute literally to the
record of crime; the papers TEEN with
recitals of crime; they are reported
from Maine to Texas, from the Allan
tic to the Pacific Ocean. Betrayal of
trust appears to be one the raging
diseases of the age. 1t not only crops
out in the bank officer, in the
business man and in the preacher,
but it involves family circles
and makes the most trusted in private
life those in whom the least confidence
may be reposed. A rich man hires an
active young fellow to take care of
his horses and he straightway becomes
the groomsman of his favorite daugh-
ter. The coachman cannot be trust.
ed, while the refinely raised daughter
rises in open rebellion against parent
al authority, preferring to descend
instead of maintaining her standing,
or rising, in the scale of society. Crime
spreads itself over the seven ages OF
man, beginning almost at the cradle
and ending only with the grave. In.
telligence of epidemic crime does not
reach US from all countries. The dis
ease appears to be almost peculiarly
American. An observable feature OF
its existence is that t especially
appears in the United States as, in oul
sister republic, during periods of ex
citement, and especially during time.
of great political excitement. What
is the connecting link between socia
, crime and political excitement
, is one of the ethical points
not yet fixed by philosophical
writers. In our 'political con
tests thieves and rascals generally pla.
very important part; veryloften the.
, are leaders Of one or another party O.
= faction too often they are their nom
inees for the highest places, and to-
often for the good of the society, TO
: the arrest of immoral tendencies
these very thieves and rascal
3 are given the highest places. If the.
l be not thieves they are carefully Sc
= lected incompetents, whom the thieve
l and rascals desire to use. Once in
t while we have such men placed in OF
5 flee even in Texas, and to-day the re
3 publican party, whose leaders desir
/, to perpetuate a period OF federal plum
{ der, support a man for the presidenc
3 whose moral standing in all respect.
public and private, is black as any
r thing can be. When such is the ter
dency of political agitation, is ther
/ any wonder that we have these pe
) RODS of widespread crime. In Texa
, and throughout the Union immora
4 political influences prevail. that refiec
) simply an immoral political atmos
: phere. 1t is observable, that durin,
presidential campaigns morality ap
: pears to sink to its lowest ebb. TIL
? fact ought to be an argument agains
OuO 11CH VI
: But when thieves get into place it
proper to remove them if possible a
the earliest Cay possible. Here, the1
1 is an argument for frequent elections
: quite as strong as the one agains
l them. Evidently the questions il
volved are embarrassing. How the
may be solved is hard to tell. Unit
7 they are these epidemics of crime wi
g be of frequent recurrence. They ar
8 blots upon the name of our countr
l and the names of our states. Texa:
D with all her natural wealth of soil an
climate, with all her vast PRODUCING
l power, with all the intrinsic worth @
1 a hardy, barve and generous people
: must pass, occasionally under clou
tat looms up before distant observer
as of blacklist hue. 1t is black;
t envelopes the name of Texas in Grim
: and even when it breaks away and tn
3 clear blue ether of better condition
, appears in spots, memory tondly DIV ell
upon the evil picture, and the vis1ol
is almost ineffaceable. These condi
, tions are damaging to every interes
in the state, and until the three stron,
arms of government combine to sup
press crime, the luster of our Lon
Star will be dimmed. Politics mus
be purified; when done. crime her
and elsewhere will be arrested,
COTTON HARVESTER.
It is stated by the Charleston New