New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-12
THE DocroEs AvD CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

The State Medical Society of New-Iolk at
its annual meeting year ago appointed com
mittee TO consider ard report upon the q1es-
ton Of capital punishment. At the recent
meeting of the society at Albany THIS COM
mittce, through its chairman, Dr. Jacopi. Sud
mitted its report. which was unqualiheUS III
favor OF the abolition of the death penalty.
The question coming on the disposition OF the
report. it was rejected by vote OF 70 to II.
It is more than likely that the opponents OF
capital punishment will be encouraged rather
than cast down by this action OF the CHIEF
medical body of NewY ork. For just as pos
session is eleven points in the law so the
existing order of things. because 1t Is the eX-
istinc older. ordinarily has a distinct advan-
taco over whatever proposes to Supplant 1t.
Hence the di>bclcvcrs in the death penalty
NAV well feel that if their proposed reform
has made such progress in the leading State OF
the Union as to be supported by committee
Of accomplished and experienced scientists, and
nv nearly one half of their professional broth
ron to whom their conclusions were referred
why then their victory is only question CT
time.
statement made by "Thc Albany Argus
which cditorially commendS the rejection OF
the report-will tend to confirm them in this
view 1.-The Argus states in its account OF
the proceedings Of the society that many mem
bcrs were absent when the vote was taken, and
that "many thought had the entire society
voted the report would have been adoptcd.'
The committee based their report on several
grounds. They asserted that the post-mortcm
examinations of the brains Of executed Grim
inals showed in many cases that these male
factors had been suffering from disease of the
brain and hence were irresponsible for their
actions. Besides, they argued, let the death
penaty be abolished and the possibility Is pre-
cludcd of iudicially numbering innocent men.
They added the opinion that if the pardonlng
power was also abolished imprisonment for life
would be as much deterrent of murder rs Is
capital punishment at present.
There will be no disposition to criticisc the
society for rejecting the report. These who
voted against it arc TO be assumed 70 be public
spirited and conscientious. and To have enter
tanned the conviction that the greatest good
of the greatest number would be best served
by continuing capital punishment. Ncverihc-
less is it not something of an anomaly this
vote in favor of killing on the part of mon
whose dominant aim is 10 preserve life? One
other question. Does not the demand for tho
abolition Of capital punishment grow logically
ont of the proposition which Is everywhere
gaining ground among phloSophic phII1nthro-
rists whose views are the brpadcst and most
Christian. that the ling idea of punish
mcnt is not the inaicton Of pain. bur the
reformation of the offender. Those who stand
by this proposition are fond Of repeating the
old remark that tho w0Ist use You can put Il
man to is to hang him. Ours l. a day when
the great fundamental question, Who i my
nechbor? i, receiving "A wider and moro
profound consideration than it ever was ac-
corded before. As n result the conviction Is
snrcading with an cvcr-incraSing force that
the individual citizen and the State are bound
to do all that in them lies for the solution
of such problems as the tcncmcnt-housc and
the saloon which. so long as they remain I'M
solved. arc the moving causes Of many muir
der. Society is coming 10 realize that 1t will
be mcasurably responsible for ,hc existence of
murders so long as it seliShly ncglccts TO eradi-
cate the conditons-so far as it can-which
breed the vices whose fruit is murder and
other high crimes.
Il is such general considerations as these
which, in connection with such specific ones
as those contained in the report, forify the
souls OF those who maintain that capital pun
ishmcnt must go. In onr own State there has
been no widespread discussion Of the question
Public sentiment cannot be said to have been
tested. Might it not be well To refer it 10 a
popular vote ?