New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-10
4 PERIOD or CHIMES AND CASUALTIES

4
Readers Of the daily papers during the last
few weeks have doubtless been struck with the
unusually large number of crimes ana casual
tics involving the loss of human life, that
have taken place The phenomenon l. not
now one: it has been frequently noticed III
other wears. and in fact has led many people
TO suggest that there may be some mysterious
law of period lefty for crimes, If not for casual
ties. But though the theory is plausible one
and rests upon some basis Of fact. 1t must stall
remain ONLY n theory while our knowledge oil
the complex problems involved is 50 mcaGrc.
II is easy enough to predict that when large
number Of men are out of work and pInchcd
for the ncccsSarics of life some OF them VIII
be guilty of disorder or petty crimes. Inc
same thing is true Of many other social OF
economic conditions, which are admitted 10
bear dcmOnStrablc relation h certain crimes
AMI disorders. But these phenomena more
properly belong to the general subject of clm-
inolocv. rs t. which il +, p SSiblc IN make APP
proximatcly sci ntihc concentrations. Inc p)-
lice statistics Of any wcll-ordcrcd city. for IN
stance. will show that about the same number
Of people relatively t. the population "l the
CITY. are arrested for different offences every
wear. and that certain crimes occur with
ncriodic regularity. They are such crimes aS
arc the natural and inevitable product of human
nature as affected by certain social or eco
monte environment.
But this law of the regular recurrence #
crime does not at all explain the "ccaS'ona!
pcriodicity # certain crimes. especially Wh'n
n at prc.cnt it i accompanied by an appalling
list Of cataStrorhcs ard accidents involving
loss Of life What are the hidden laws COY
crning such outbreaks? For that they are the
legitimate outcome of certain well defined laws
operating in the world and in human nature
would be most firmly maintained even by those
who can least understand them. We know not
how 10 answer this question and our pro-
found ignorance OF the subject Suggests 10 us
how mpcrfcctly, after all. We understand that
complex thing We call civilization We ~" wont
to define it aS a continuous progress onward
and upward. But the lrogrcs, is not cnntinu-
Gus: nor is it always onward and upward.
Once in a while man seems t. revert t. his
former condition of brutality; and the student
| Of social progress is forcibly reminded that
! the victory of the race over IT'S own passions
| is vet far from being complete. " 10 the
| many accidents due To CilclcSNhc>S lhdl nave
recently occurred they may possibly he cN-
planned by the relaxation of attention which
the cncrvatng heat Of summer naturally Pro-
duccs This, however. is really suggestion
rather than an explanation For there are no
accurate statistics of casualties which would
enable us +, form any certain conclusion con-
| corning their recurrence. 1t i strange that
such is the case, because a study OF the quc>-
ton would be not only fascinating to the stu
| dent Of social science. but would add much 10
mans stock Of useful knowledge.
| There is little doubt that an accurate stats
| teal record Of what may be called pcrpdicll
crimes and casualties, embracing every civil
| izcd country and covering number of years,
would d much to throw light on problem
that Is new almost completely wrapped in
| my StcrN.