The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-10-09

4 .
\ our country riao had had pensseptEaFy
experience. Here - vast army OF three
1 quarters Of 3 million who hare worn ths
| stripes Of feIoa--a great standing army
engaged in q warfare noon society. IL -
1 manifest that our penal system - fasi-
| ure, aud that there Is need ~ reform IN
our methods. Think OF I00. ID persons
being committed 10 Jail in single year.
Of whom $500 were sent 70 jail for the
! first sine
Where are the causes Of this alarming
increase IN erinaef The Howard Assocta-
ton, which has done more for prison re-
form than any other single body. IN its an
nuaI report points ont some defects which
prevent the purpose Of penal laws 10 de-
| feat crime. As an example - raises rs
voice against the sentimenfalify IN the
treatment 81 criminals which provides
them with bester fare than average honest
labor can secure.
Judge Parker subsnits she following
causes: The indifference and Ineompe-
tence Of courts. both trial and appellate.
the general prevalence Of perjury, which
IL 80 often invoked TO cheat justice; the
direct and indirect nse OF eorruptIng In
hueuee. such as money, social power, or
other agencies equally strong and corrupt
ing; the sickiy sentimentalism which ex-
ists in favor Of the man who has REDEEMED
his hands with innocent human blood. so
that persons possessing IL waste all their
sympathy on the criminal, and have none
for bis innocent victim. and use ali their
power and influence for the guilty In COW
ering up his crime. or shielding him from
merited punishment: fifth, aud above all.
the indifference Of the people themselves
10 the terrible crimes which menace the
peGce OF every household in the land
ITO these reasons found In the conduct
OF the courts should be added: The rapid
increase OF foreign population and the
importation Of multitudes of undesirable
citlZens along with many good people.
But this does not give an adequate solu-
ton; for In 1850 the percentage of foreign
criminals was i've times as great as that Of
native Americans, but IN fsS0 the per cent.
was little less than double. showing a
startling and ominous increase OF crime
among our native population.
''The making haste TO be rich, which the
Bible teaches as the source OF many Sor
rows. The Element of risk enters so
largely into n large number OF the business
enterprises of our times that q spirit of adj
venture is almost born in our children.
This Is fostered by o flood Of exciting, no:
TO say impure, literature that sows the
seed from which We reap the harvest OF
criminals.
.'0ne of the most efficient factors, and
perhaps one that equals ali the rest, is the
saloon. Ii Is true that there was drinking
In 1850. bat the saloon was then in its in
fancy. This nursery of every manner Of
evil Is a creature of our own times. Ii
would be infinitely better that topers had
the Jug NJ home or the 'bitters, on the
should congregate at these scenes of
nightly reyeI and debauch, and
stimulate each other to drinking and
deyiiment. The saloon is the mos,
formidable enemy in existence of order,
morals, Law and the public welfare. Every
honest and competent judge of criminal
courts bears witness that about three
fourths of the crime that comes before
him is due to the saloon. From the saloon
the iawiess night prowler goes out TO fill
the city with terror. When crime Is COM
mitted IL is in the saloons aud among
the saloon habitues that the police look
for criminals. Wherever the saloon is de-
stroyed. as in Iowa. the number of crimi-
nails steadily decrease. and half the jails
are en- tirely empty. If the saloons of the
United States were destroyed crime would
shrink to one-half of its present dimen-
sions.
''Who can acknowledge these facts and
yet give his sanction and encouragement
to their existence? 1t would be lust as
consistent with good morals to license the
criminals as to license the crime breeders
No bribc OF money could induce the moral
and orderly population of our cities to
consent to the license of thieves, burglars
and cutthroats, yet for a large enough
bride they viii consent TO license the
very mills that manufacture these
outlaws. The fact that We do these
evils indirectly may excuse US in our own
perverted judgment, but will not excuse
us in the eyes of the omniscient God
Who are the defauiers. when preacher
and deacon vote the same ticket as the
saioonkeeperp The laws of Missouri,
Illinois and Washington require that the
10 all L.. a
saloons OF Chicago, st. Louis and Seattle
pay not the slightest attention 10 the laws,
and the municipal authorities wink at
their defiance OF law. They open on Sun
day because IL is their best day. A saloon
keeper said that Sunday was as good as
tao or three other DAYS. Many working
men get their pay Ola Saturday night, and
by Monday II Is safe in the saloonkeeper's
Till. If the sunday closing law were en-
forced 1t would decrease the evils of the
saloons by half. A Christian manufaet-
urer of ST. Louis said; 1t would be a
moral and pecuniary benefit TO my en-
ployes 10 keep my mills going on Sunday.
On sunday they waste the wages OF the
week, spend the day IN the saloon, make
beasts OF themselves. abuse their families
and are unfit for work Monday
why do not the officers who are sworn
20 enforce the Law make decent effort to
do sof The law lies a dead letter on the
statute book. Who are the defaulters 2
The officers. surely, but who besides
themf Let these officers attempt il and
they raise a cry from the criminal classes
about their ears. What more7 They
raise the political bosses and ward heelers
Who bus and sell the balance of power.
What marsr Where are the preachers
aud elders and pew filters in our
churehesl WHAT do they de9 Do they
come To the support of the men who are
willing TO try 10 do their duiy7 OR do
they rather cry. Hush You will ruin
our church, What effect will the DIS
cussion of u in the Ministerial Alliance of
the city hayeg
But mention the danger in the city
in particular. and the difficulty attending
any effort at righteous government. In
$50. we are told in Josiah Strong's Neg
Era. one-eighth OF cur population was in
cities of more than 5000 population. but
nov there are more than one-fourth
of the population in the cities.
Seattle has grown about 5000 in
ten years At the same rate of
increase. in i9an there will be ten million
more IN the cities than In the country.
classes, OF ali nations. These distinctions
suffice 10 hold back the bond OF union ana
the sympathy of brotherhood. These
classes and uatsonalities have their leaders
who marshal them for selfish ends. Thew
are often voted in bulk. Romanism de-
tases 10 its voters, and il is surprising how
often they are on the wrong side ot the
vital issues.
The forces Of evil are fully eaaipped
and organized. The liquor dealers have
their protective association, ever on the
alert 10 see that ex sting laws are NOT en-.
forced and that no further restraining
Legislation be enacted The ss "a hferv =.