Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-07-26
GROWTH OF CRIME.

The Government directs atteD
ton, by published circular over TIN
signature of Postmaster Wana
maker, 10 the frequency Of armed
attacks upon the United State
mails, for purposes OF robbery. Tn,
West is specially named as the field
in which mail robbers flourish and
operate. II is often the case, how.
ever, that dramatic performance,
Of the kind in question occur in the
east, where the country has been
settled for a long time.
This form Of crime has become So
common that the Government feels
impelled, in general way, without
reference to any special case, to offer
graded rewards for the arrest and
conviction Of the desperadOes who
eng lge in it. This bare fact is n sal
comment upon cur times aud civ
ilizatisn. Thi. will be seen at once,
when it is considered that it ouIy
refers 10 one phase OF criminal
ity, while thousands Of other forms
are rampant and the country is full
Of Individual and factional violence.
4 quarter Of a century since il
vas common for the youth 10 read
with avidi:y highly colored descrip-
lions 81 the criminal exploits Of
such novices in thievery and high
waymanship as Jack Shepphard,
Claude Duval, Dick Turpiu, ct al.
Now the boys can get much more
thrilling and romantic literature in
the same line by reading. in the
newspapers Of the day, accurate de-
scriptions Of actual transactions that
are Of almost constant occurrence.
Such men Is those named were
specially noted because Of the
scarcity Of their class in the times
when they fiourishei. The notorieiy
Of many Of their kind in our own
day anu who excel them in daring.
in the extensive character Of their
transactions and in almost every
other direction, lasts but a few hours 4
comparatively, because Of the great |
number OF criminals Of that kind. !
ltseems as if no sooner is some /
remarkable criminal operation per /
petrated than another which eclipses
it follows upon its heels and CAUSES
il TO be lost sight Of. And yet rouu-
lar preachers assert, because Of the
soothing character OF the announce
ment, that the world is growing
morally better. Only n few day.
ago = local professed dispenser Of
Gospel trath made this absurd as
seriion, and thus placed himself in
The category OF false teachers vino
~ ''peace. peace, when there is no
'eace." Crime Of every kind
seems TO be increasing with alarm
ng rapidity throughout the cCun-
r.. 1
Such circular as that Issued ~
he government, through Mr.. War
maker, would, we believe, be un-
necessary in any other civilized
.ation. Is it not an anomaly for
ny department to call upon the I
enerai public to protect it against q
ny class Of criminals. Surely it Is 5
confession Of weakness in the
hape Of an acknowledgment that
he government either does not have /
he facilities for self-protection, or it t
oes not care to apply them. q
This circular seems TO revere the =
rider Of civil government, because I
n place Of it being the duty OF the y
eople at large to protect the govern L
lent, it i the exalted and impera- I
i've duty Of the latter to protect the a
eople At large.
There is more IN this subject than q
ppears on the surface. tits but one /
( the phases Of the times that lead =
hOughtful people to ask whittier T
be Republic is drifting. i