New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-19
THE CHEAPNESS OF HUMAN LIFE.

In nothing is the inherent crcdulity of the
average man more strikingIy shown than the
way in which he will adopt n phrase or proverb
| without n thought CT questioning It's truth.
| 4 case in point is the assertion, so frequently
made by popular speakers, that whereas IN
| the past nothing was more cheap than human
| life to-day nothing is more sacred. Doubtless
| This ought to be the outcome OF tho modern
democratic movement which makes 50 mtch
of the individual But a study OF the Stats
tic, of murder in this country compiled by
| 1.-The Chicago Tribune would indicate that
human life is anything but sacred. In 1889,
according to these figures 1858 known muir
ders were committed In 1890 there were
800 known murdcrS-an increase OF az, or
about 30 per cent. In 1891 the number OF
known murders was 5,99S-an increase 0f
Los, or about 40 per cent. In lS92 inc
number arose to 6.79l-an increase OF I?3, or
little over II per cent. The known muir
dcr,. therefore. for these four years numbered
,OGt7: and when we take into account the
murders that were not discovered. 1t Is en-
tircly within bounds to say that $4,000 MUIR
dcr> were committed III inc 'HItcu ''''eS
during those four years.
licnal horror i, lent to it by the statistics re-
lating TO the punishment of these murders.
OF the $40 known mndorcrS OF 1890. 1o2
were executed by law and l27 were lynched
bv mobs In 1891. Us OF the J99S muir
dcrorS were executed by law and 1913 were
ynchcd. OF the 6.I9l murdcrcrs OF 1872, loI
were executed by law. while 23G were lynched
bv MONS. of them being women. In ether
words though 1919 known murders were
committed in these three years, only 33' per
.on, were executed by law. while o3S, or about
50 per cent more. were lynched by mDbS' IL
is hard to say which fact is the more omlnou>
and di>graccful the rtifully small number oi
persons legally punished or the comparatively
large number Of persons punished without law
What is certain j. that both records not only
show that the laws against murder are not
duly executed in this country, but they also
,yplain why crimes against human life are
becoming :, increasingly common. Thee con
illusions were strongly stated the other day
by Judge Parker. of the United states Circuit
Court for the Western District Of Arkansas, IN
ch,rcc ,o the Grand Jury of Font smith.
After rccitnc the figures gwen above ana
declaring that he believed Them To be sub
-tlntially accurate, he sad
The hgurs for these years are amply sufficient 10
BOW that tie Increase Of crime Is out II al proper
ton 10 the Increase Of population. and that the punish
,n.nt for this high crime. VIII" erin" Is r'h'''h''
incr,alng + constantly decreasing. what Is ti'
mntt.r with tn, .,.trm ~ juriiprl "ncr III TINS
,ountry r.a more men each year ar" taken out ana
DESTROYED by TIE violence Of "a" mob. by ID" Jury OF
IA. popul,r ana pat to death for having com
ni,d murder than are tried and convicted ana pun |
IND 10, uy for I'll. great crime Every on" of these
, ~ ucang NO matter what The erin" OF III" party
lyu,hea wa, "A murd II the most brutal ana most
,,rrd cnaracor aud ttcy may De- added 10 the Grand
total Of the other muri"r>.
This is none too strongly put. 1t calls at
icution 10 "A criminal laxity i'll executing the
Laws that unless arrested, threatens the STA |
hiIity and welfare Of the country. IL was the |
Loa,t If A murderer in this city lew years |
AGO that hanging for murder was played OUT |
in Ncw-Nolk and though the remark sum |
GENTLY arou ,cd the public conscience II insure |
hi. execution. the truth of the boast has since |
been frequently cxemplliied and the flSureS |
Gathered by The Chicago Tribune show that |
il i substantially true for the whole country |
our hoast about the SacrcdneSs OF human lite |
i foolish and vain; for while thousands oi
known murdcrcrS are allowed t. go unpun-
i,hcd every year human lite Is just about the
cheapest commodity in the country.