The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-02
rpoTIC CRIMES,

UNPLEASANT as the topic IS. the fire.
quency OF a certain class Of crimes against
women is leading 10 a feeling on the sub
iect which cannot be ignored II is find
ing most active manifestation In vindiet-
I've reprisaI which cannot but be regarded
as dangerous 20 civilized Institutions not
In the effect OF the summary and extreme
punishment. but I'm the lawlessness IL fos-
tiers. When once society begins 20 acr
without the authority OF the courts. II is
certain there is, 10 use a common out
applicable expression. "a screw loose
somewhere"
II these erotic crimes were confined 10
the South, where a long-ensiaved race is
only now beginning in some OF the re-
mo;er parts TO emerge from a brutishness
due 10 that condition. the hope might be
held out that with enlightenment would
come reformation. The humiliating fact
Is that In proportion 10 population the
cruel consequences of animal selfshness
are seen as frequently among the North
ern states. Only last week two men were
seized by an Infatuated mob in Illinois,
and when a law-abiding man endeavored
TO stop lynching. he was answered by
the father of the terribly abused child:
That's all very well. but you have never
had a daughter so mistreated-"
To most parents, there is less horror In
looking upon the dead features of muir
dered child than in contemplating the
wreck of an innocent life. The chief
wrong done is not physical; II is the wan
ton destruction OF the idealized beauty
and virtue OF girlish youth.
II Is to this phase of the question we
would wish to see the attention OF the
lawmakers directed. The danger OF good
laws being perverted by the cunning of
mercenary and INSCRIPTIONS traders up
on the sympathies OF humanity and the in
discretion which does not always amount
to wrong doing is the chief obstacle. But
that danger can be guarded against by
caution. The main object is to impose
the utmost punishment. even including
death. upon the brutes among men. That
object cannot be reached or the punish
ment made adequate so long as the Of
Tense is regarded only as physical and
not a moral one The statutes are nearly
all framed with such nice distinctions be-
tween intent and accomplishment, over
ture and force persuasion and deter
mination, attempt and success, that the
real viciousness of the offense is lost
sight OF. The offense is complete. espe-
cially in the case of young child, when
its innocence OF thought is shattered by
the appearance of evil. An assault with
an AK may do less harm than an insidi-
Gus attack with impure motive. The
actual crime is committed when lewdness
first displays its vile existence to limo
cence.
TO assault a woman has been made capt.
tai offense, and for the wanton estrange-
ment of a wife's fidelity the stocks have
been revived. The latter is too barbarous
laws is mistaken when they fail to ade-
quately punish the gravest offense against
society. We regard these offenses against
morality as more menacing than murder,
without depreciating the gravity of that
crime. If there Is one field afording bet
ter opportunity than another for the en-
ployment of good women's efforts it is in
the cause We have indica ted-as delicate
~ as we can without losing any of the
earnestness the subject inspires.