The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-08-27
THE PREVALENCE OF CRIME.

THE PREVALENCE OF CRIME.
The subject of the prevalence of
crime in this country is attracting the
attention of the press, and when 1t is
known that there are annually more
homicides in the United States than
in any other civilized nation, it is time
that the alarm was sounded. In view
of this fact it is the duty of all those
having the good of the country at
heart to ascertain the cause, and apply
a remedy if possible.
Very many leading journals ascribe
the reason for this state of affairs to a
lax administration of law by the courts,
and the facility by which criminals are
acquitted by the quibbles of attorneys.
They state that murderers, whose
guilt is apparent, are frequently let
loose on the community by technicaii-
ties in our system of Jurisprudence,
and thus, in many instances,ac upon the
worst elements of society as license
for the violation Of law. While this
may be one of the many factors pao-
ducing this deplorable condition of
effairs, there are others at work that
are nearly as potent. In the British
empire and her colonies the same sys-
tenn of jurisprudence prevails the
Common Law-that does here, and
there Is no complaint of the same evil.
In all our criminal courts the same in
terpretations of law = except when
changed by statute-are made that are
in English courts, the same safeguards
thrown around the person of the pris-
oner, and yet crime receives its full
penalty. Lawyers in Great Britain
are about the same as they are in the
United States, and the same resort is
had to technicalities in indictments
and evidence to save the person from
being deprived of his life and liberty.
For these reasons law and lawyers can
not be wholly blamed for the frequency
and ease with which these who malic-
iously take the life of their fellow.man
escape the rigors of the penal statutes.
The final decision in all these cases
is given by jury of twelve men, and
whether the man is hanged for killing
his fellow, convicted of murder in the
second degree, of manslaughter, or ac-
quilted, rests with the conseiences Of
those constituting the panel. 1t makes
little difference how technical the at
torney may be, If the minds Of the
Jury are not convinced of the guilt of
the defendant he should be acquitted;
but, on the contrary, Is they are .satis-
fed to moral certainty of his guilt,
their verdict should be in accordance
with this conviction. These juries are
not composed of any class or condition
of society, but of all combined, and
in the jury-room we have the reflex
influence of street prejudice or of any
popular interest for or against the con-
demned. 1t may be true that some
persons are easily swayed in their
opinions by feelings of sympathy, and
frequently on account of capital pun
ishment being in force in some ststes
many criminals 70 scott free who
would otherwise be punished. The
dread of taking life is SO powerful with
such that it will make them view tes-
timony too strictly, and warp their
Judgment in favor of mercy rather |
than justice.
After a careful consideration of |
these influences which are called into |
operation during the trial of persons
guilty of the most heinous violations |
of law, we believe luries are as blam-
able as lawyers or courts for the prev
alence of crime, and, as juries are sim.
ply the integral parts of communities,
tha lottor oro p,orollu roaponoihla If
the press would aim their blows at the
state of society, and try to raise 1t to
a higher moral standard, there would
be less licence given to crime, and law
yers, even with large fees in prospect,
would not be willing to use ingenuity
and other questionable practices to
turn loose upon the community those
who have forfeited, by their acts, all
respec. of their fellow men.