The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-06-18
ABOUT CRIME AND VICE.
HOW SHOULD THEY BE cURBEDq
A Review In the Light of Current Evente.
Shall Temperance be the ostcnsi-
BILE Basis of a New Political
Party in Texass

No one, it is universally felt, does
less than deplore sincerely the
wretched condition produced in va
riety Of forms by the excessive use of
intoxicating beverages, and snould
its victims vice eliminate in crime,
that is when under the malign intlu-
ence OF strong drink, the unfortunate
person does unlawful injury, under a
score of technical names, against the
person, property or reputation Of
another; or should public morals be
aggrieved by his conduct, then on
swarm of statutory laws, both State
and town, that designate his misdeed
and impartially meet out to him
punishment proportionate to his Of
tense.
These positive declarations, which
we call statute law, framed and sf-
irmed by the peoples chosen repre-
sentatlves, are nothing more than the
necessary outgroWth Of social or po-
litical organizations, re quired for the
common welfare; consequently they
are written rules OF civil conduct
tacitly subscribed by every
citizen when he becomes
member of the community in which
1T udS CuOhou W IObiu0s lu6s6 laws
from time immemorial, by reason of a
policy well understood, expressly s ay,
save under peculiar and extraordinary
circumstances, Drunkenness shall be
excuse for no offese which they define
TO be a crime. The suppression of
crime being the only object, their be-
nign spirit and intlexible vigor allows
no one to receive judicial punishment
except what they plainly interpret to
be such transgressi0n.
In view of the politico-womanIs-
rights-temperance movement now per-
vading this State under an arch-sin-
lister banner, not so pslpable, perhaps,
TO the casual observer, ii may be for re.
flecting citizens to consider and mark
well some important distinctions.
The excessive use OF ardent drinks,
like abuse In any other direction,
is indisputably a grave vice
that should be checked. The
question arises, however, can vice of
any degree or character be legislated
into the name OF crime and ultimately
be the object punItory laws. This, 1t
is claimed by our modern states-la-
dies and ates-gentlemen, is the only
scheme through which the earnestly
desired end of universal temperance
40 SNAS4- - NA'HA AAUJ BSAhdhOh1lJ 10
secured
Vice, like crime, is sin against the
divine law and receives, we are told,
Just punishment for its commission.
Vice, nevertheless, is moral peryer-
sive affecting only the SHINING indl-
vidual and cannot involve crime. But
crime, while it affects also the con.
science of the culpable individual, its
very meaning implies that the crimi.
nal mas broken the law of the commu-
nifty. Thus If man Is TO punish for
vice, this moral Obliquity must have
the status and receive the important
elements that give crime the distinc.
tive feature it bears, an impossibility
too silly to be attempted. Some
law makers have been unwise
enough TO enter the domain OF
ethics TO experiment with their pow
ers TO legislate, but when they attempt
to enact laws prescribing other than
the duties and liabilities OF man solely
as citizen, their labors fall to pieces
like ropes of sand. What mind so gil
gantic can grasp the needs and lay
down code for personal and individ-
ual reotitude? he would require a
scroll wider than the broad canopy of
heaven. The index to his compile
ment would fill more papers than the
great judgment book on the bar of tho
last tribunal. What man can number
his own vices? What two persons
have characteristics alike? What two
commit the same acts when under the
influence OF the same given vice?
Suppose we were TO have q tempo
rary invasion of this goody-goody
theory of government, ana our grand
structure-as near perfect as the wis
dom OF ages can deyise-thrown aside.
What will be the practical RESULT
The sagacious statesmen of this ana
other countries never tire in recurring
TO that profound apothegm of Mach
aevalli: Nations, when they find
themselves departing too far from
the first principles OF their organize
tion might do well to turn back and
get as near che starting point as pos
sible, or 1t may be too late to avert
total disruption. But this is q period
that introduces thick and fast new
ideas in this old world. We hear UNI
ceasing clamors for new policies;
aesthetic reformers pop up every day
from obscurity, while universal suffer-
age and more laws for our already law
ridden country, Is the dolorous re-
train. Strong minded women and
pessimistic gentlemen, for conscience
sake, demand that they may take a
hand at the rudder Of state, and disre-
garding Loylla on the one hand and
Charybois on the other, the world, at
least the United States, at least Texas,
or at least some town or hamlet within
her borders, must DO revolutionized.
They are full of talk, full of pathos I;
their tales about misery, idiocy and
degradation would draw scalding
tears from the most obdurate heart;
they must be heard In the name OF
peace, plenty and JOY.
Space will not permit to touch on the
political aspect OF this new party that
in willy hour seized upon tom
perance as q popular catchword but
make universal suffrage its confess
sion in the cloisters of their conven-
tons. OF course this observation does
not include those jealous lecturers and
unselfish workers kept in ignorance
Of the underground plans of their
leaders, but who 20 ON striving and
appealing In, 10 thrive good cause,
without exactly understanding the
objective aims that give life and mo.
ton 10 the organization. A diplo-
matist has said that hypooracy is the
life spring of politics. In that view, is
the temperance movement in its pres
ent phase without its full ingredient
of decepuonP Women, with their male
supernumerarles have a right to form
themselves into political parties. If IL
is such a precious boon, they are emil
tied TO use means TO become voters;
allow them 10 seek the responsibilities
of public Office, but should their poll
tics indirectly through cause we all
have at heart insinuate them In power
10 legislate over the personal liberties
and privileges OF mkn2
Since the distinction has been shown
between crime and vice, It will be seen,
schemes for information In the latter
must be aH innumerable as the inge-
nuity of the human mind. Drunken
ness Is not the only vice that needs the
solicitude OF the reiormer. Some simple
people look upon the decolette cos
tume worn by many female ias ap.
preaching nearly vicious taste. In
fact, such apparel lis vice. Glui-
tony, using tobacco, Incidence, all
habits, indeed deleterious 10 good
health or productive OF a morblfie
state Of morals include the category
OF this sin, for which, 10 speak