The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
Where the Responsibility Lies.

Mr. Editor:-The editorial comments in
The WATCHMAN upon the recent trial of the
case of homicide at Montpelier in one partic-
ular, at least, deserve further notice. Ire
fer particularly to the expressions respect
ing the share OF the community in the re-
sponsibility for the crime, and to your
opinion that II the state had done its full
duty in the first instance " the question OF
the degree of Sanders crime might not have
confronted the state at all. without ex-
pressing an opinion on this particular case,
but without doubling your judgment OF 1t,
for have little knowledge OF 1t, let me try |
to impress the Importance OF the general
principle involved in the statementto which
j have alluded. It has been part OF my |
work, in studying the family, to note the part |
that domestic vice plays among the causes
of crime! have very often been satisfied |
that some licentious cause or divorce en-
ters into the cause OF n homicide more ire |
quently than intemperance. This may be
rank heresy with some, but until large
amount of statistical proof is brought for
ward to the contrary, / cannot give up the
opinion, as 1t is based on the special inquiry
and observation Of some years. | cannot
myself speak positively of the lower order
of crime, but have no reason to think that
Righteousness, as a cause Of crime, is much
behind intemperance, or to distrust the opin-
ion which Hon. Carroll ID. Wright has re-
peatedly expressed to me, and which has
been widely published. Let me quote IL
again: " am well satisfied that so far as
the volume of crime or OF criminal condl-
tions is concerned RIGHTEOUSNESS is the most
potent factor in existence" Mr.. IL. X. How
ard Vincent, the director of the investiga-
ton of the cause of crime for England, is
quoted in the London Statistical journal as
saying that drink and immorality-meaning
sexual immorality-are each responsible for
about two-fifths OF all crime in England.
Recently the chairman of the board OF in
spectors of prisons and jails in Maine, after
referring to the great neglect in Furnishing
crimes against chastity and morality in that
state, said in his official report: " In the
Judgment of the writer, not hastily made,
there are more convicts in the prison whose
crime can be traced to licentiousness in some
of its forms than from any other cause"
year ago l went, with proper introduction, to
the chaplain and wardens of one OF the
largest prisons in the country, having over
thirteen hundred prisoners, and asked for
information on this point. A good deal of
careful inquiry found was made on various
points and the results recorded. About
fifty per cent Of crime was allotted to in
temperance. But not anything had been
gathered upon my point and was told that
I was the first visitor the chaplain of some
years service had ever heard ask the ques-
ton! But under my questions, he very soon
began to report instances in which the
crimes had been set to intemperance when
they were really due to RIGHTEOUSNESS. One
defect in most statistics of the causes of
crime is due to the habit of following sim
gle cause, like intemperance, at time, put
ting down every crime with which rum has
had any connection whatever as rum
crime" when the same offence may be due
to two or more causes. When the evils of
RIGHTEOUSNESS shall be as thoroughly treated,
morally and legally, as those of intemper-
ance have been, even at the uncertain, halt
ing gait with which we have pursued the
latter, and statistics of crime are fully and
fairly collected, we shall be in position to
know how to go to work in respect to the
full statistics of the deaths and their causes
as of great value, and provides for them Of
ficially. 1t is not less important that we
know the facts as to crime and vice. A
careful statement aud analysis of the facts,
causes and surroundings of every crime for
a term of years is matter of the highest
public importance, both in respect to the
morals of the people and of the burdens of
the taxpayer. Many of these facts are
within the reach of the state the moment
the Legislature will require them. One-half
the money that this single trial for homicide
has cost the state, spent each year on this
object would be sufficient for the purpose.
am here reminded Of the vigorous reply of
an old and reputable physician to some sec
ular inquiries as to the causes and extent OF
crime. " The way" he said, to check the
increase of crime, is to stop raising Grim
indts." II the state would spend tenth of
the money it has cost to convict and punish
its Magoons, Meakers, Sanders, and other
in what ignorance, in what bad neighbor-
hoods, in what homes, and in what vices
they grew up-it would afford itself, the
churches and the phianthropists, basis OF
intelligent action. AS it is, we make guesses
or blunder along with too few facts. A
prominent phianthropist, engaged in the
work of prison reform, asked me last year
to prepare paper, from material he should
put in my hands, on the relation of the
family to crime in this country. Some time
afterwards he confessed that the material
was so shamefully meager from lack in col
lecting statistics that the task could not be
undertaken at present And yet incline
to think that the root of most crime and vice
is to be found there. Other places, the rum
shop in particular, feed it; but they do not
always create the demand nor the crimina
conditions which lie back of it. have asked
at least one governor and other public Off
Gals to take steps in the direction of secur
ing statistical information concerning Grim,
in this state, and have more than once writ
ten articles in the state press urging 1t il
the interests of public economy now hop,
that this matter will not be allowed to drop
and that the need of greater fidelity in pros
ecuting crime against the family will b.
pressed. There is great neglect, in SOM
back districts especially and in some larg
villages where responsibility is directly o
indirectly allowed to shield men in the pros
ecution of criminals until they have gone OIL
to some crime where property or life is i'm
perllled. / have been told that the ma
terial now lies in the Office of the secretary O
state that would show the increase or de
crease of convictions of crime and othe
facts for long term of years. II the secre
tary feels authorized to collate and publish
IL let us have ii soon. And let us provid
for the collection Of all the facts possibl
concerning crime and social evils that bur
den the state with taxes and sap the moral
upon which the public welfare depends.
SAMUEL w. dixie.
SnIfh 1tnt,