The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-02-01
rAe CULTURE OF MURDER.
How Impulsivc Organisms Are Prepared
to Do Dark Deeds.

tO 40 DbIk DccAss
No fact is moro patent to science
than. the direct effect of influences
cxerted through the medium OF the
senses upon the brain-that particular
part of the organism whose function
inc we call mind" Darwin, Ruskin
and all the great students OF develop
ment have labored to bring this fact
within the cognizance of the general
thinking public. That they have
failed is only too painfully evidenced
by tho persistence and surprising in
genuity of the practice of cultivating
homicidal propensitics, and collatcr.
ally murder, by refined use OF the
art of mural decoration.
While VIC empower the police to put
down with strong hand the exhibit
ton in shop windows, and the censor
of stage plays and spectaclcs to inter
dict tho parade in theatres OF pictures
and scenes of an Immoral character,
because it is recognized that these have
q tendency to corrupt the mind OF
youth--and age too-nothing what
over is done to restrain the daily IN
crossing evil Of pictorial p!acaJds dis,
played on every boarding, and OF
highly wrought scenes produced at
nearly all the theatres, which not only
direct the thoughts, but actively Stir
tho passions OF the people in such way
as 10 famiiiaIizo tic average mind
with murder III all is forms, and 10
break down that protective sense "a
horror" which nature hes Given us,
with the express purpose, douDticsi, Oh
| opposing en- obst-clc 10 the cvl llliu-
cnce of the cxcnlpliiicction CT Eorn-
eide. 1t cannot lie O. ;uised that even
the most sentative nature il To some
extent brutalizcd by the display OF
these pictures
spectacle CT l;niic Crivcn i.llo tlt
chest Of o young woman, end GO Eol
recoil as violently FROM the llca 81
this form of murder, - before tho CAS-
play on all SIDES Of an elaborate
nearly Life size picture CT the decd
nor do two mon graphing togcthtl
and stabbing each other, or ono mai
shooting another with q revolver
strike us as presenting spcctaclcs o.
suclHidcous cnorn:ity a3 they wou.t
lave done had we not been familiar
lied with these scenes by impressive
placards staring us in tho face at every
turn. 1t does seem stranGc--pas5int
strange-that this murder culture y,
the cducationary use Of tho pictorla
art has not been checked by public
authority.
We have no wish to mako will
7 afIirmations, but knowing what VIC &c
] as Observers OF development, VIC Gu
have no hesitation il saying that Tn
, increasing frequency OF horribly bruta
. outragcs is by no means unaccounti
bic. The viciously inclined are, III
sense, always weak mindod-thot is
n say, they are especially susceptible
!. influences moving them in the dire
g ton their passions inclipe them I
! take; and when the mind Tor brair
/ is impressed through the senses, an
fl particularly the sense OF sight, III sue
ID manner as to produce mental picture
L. either in waking thought or dream
81 of homicide, the impulsivc organise
g is. as it were, prepared for the pc
x formance OF the deeds which form II
Al subjects of the consciousness. Wear
4, ,e of course, writing technically, but I'll
" facts arc indisputable, and we tru
~ they will be sufficiently plain. 1t
o. high time that this ingenious and pc
ne sistent murder culture should cease
IN ancet