The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-12-02
THE S CIAL GLASS.

The social glass reflects horrid shapes to
those who indulge in 1t frequently. The
daily papers chronicle two frightful conse-
quences of the continued use of this soul dis
tor1ng reflector. In one county there is an
atrocious murder; in another city, a brutal
assault, resulting in the death of a neighbor
and friend. And yet when the criminals
nre brought to trial, it will be found that
neither had any malicious feeling against
his victim and that both, when not under
the infiuence of liquor, were good neighbors
and law ahi hing citizens. Sociable habits
and the social glass are responsible for these
two crimes, The criminals deserve punish
ment for their crimes They will have no
effective defence and no excuse will prevail
TO lessen their guilt by showing, that il they
were in possession of their senses, they
would have been incapable of their crimes.
punishment must be neted out. Who will
dare advance plea in extenuation of their
crimes, in favor of the brutal murderersi
Justice must prevail. We are law abiding
people and criminals must be punished that
the community may be protected. All this
is true and right, and yet there are
those who think that an ounce
of prevention might be used to pre-
vent the development of criminal proclivi-
ties of men when, the provocative cause
leading to the commission of crime, is known
to those who are authorized to prevent the
commital OF greater crimes by the arrest OF
those whose frequently intoxicated condition
and quarrelsome dispositions foretell, TO the
officers of the law, what the consequences OF
permitting the violent drunkard TO remain
at large, will be. A criminal is punished be-
cause he deserves punishment and to prevent
Others from committing crime. These two
objects influenced law makers and law Of
fcers in the past, but we flatter ourselves
! that the prevention of crime is more 10 be
| desired than the punishment of criminals.
| We do not regard our police officers as APP
| pointed for the sole purpose of arresting
| criminals. Theirs is a protective, preventa
| tive service and we treat them as guardians
of the public peace, and except in prevent.
| ing the influence of intoxicating liquor from
| developing criminal proclivities, they are
| quick to detect and prevent other influences
| from fostering criminals. II every one
| who became intoxicated knew that
| he was liable to arrest, this
knowledge would have wholesome effect
on the drinker. But it may be said that the
arresting of every one who became intox!-
Gated would be an odious duty to impose on
an officer; would be too degrading on good
| though weak citizens, and too great humil'
| iation on their families. This may be true,
| but the benefit TO the weak and the gain t.
his miserable family would compensate for
the humiliation. Though we doubt the
| goodness of any man VINO sacrifices his in
terests and the happiness of his family "a
| the qualification of his appetite for intoxi-
eating liquor, yet, we would not go too far.
| We would only ask that the Violent be shei-
tered in the county Jail, until the violence OF
the storm raised by them has spent its force
and they were sufficiently calmed TO learn
that they had been public nuisance which
could be no longer tolerated, and as they are
generally well-men1ing aud selfish men
they would try TO 50 conduct themselves a.
to escape personal Inconvenience and pun
ishment and thus they would gain contro
of themselves in time to prevent their crim
inal proclivities from gaining control o
them.-Sdcred Heart ReUie0.