The Irish standard., 1895-02-09
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9. 1895.
TWO BILLS CONSIDERED.

There are, IL appears 10 US, I"O 'oiJ
inconsistent propositions before the leg-
islature Of Minnesota. We are not GER
tain that both of these propositions have
as yet taken the form OF bills; one at
least has. Not long since bill YVES in
troduoed to abolish capital punishment
in this state. At about the same time
meeting Ct ladies was held at the West
Hotel IN this city for the purpose OF
bringing influence to bear on the legls-
leture to raise the age Of consent, the
age at which female can consent to CO.
babitation, and be equally guilty before
the law with her male companion. The
legal AGE of consent in Minnesota is now
sixteen.
The first proposition We believe needs
little argument The legislature doubt
less appreciates the necessity of retain
ing capital punishment. The arguments
for and against this mode of Furnishing
murder have been so often repeated that
the public are familiar with them. There
are very few states in which the death
penalty is not inflicted. One OF these
states is Michigan and SO frequent and
brutal have been the murders committed
in that state, that it liz more than likely
that it's present legislature will adopt the
death penalty. From an abstract pr1n.
ciple of ethics or morality the death pen
atty may be wrong, but from practical
point of criminal law it is necessity. In
such a case theory should yield to neces.
sity. It is the first duty Of state to
protect the lives of it's citizens. Murder
is the greatest crime that can be COM
mitted because it destroys that which is
most dear to everyone. Consequently the
punishment of that crime should be the
greatest known to law, not as mere 'e-
venge, but as deterrent from the crime
of murder. Life Imprisonment is not
sufficient or proper deterrent The
chances offered for escape before and at
ter Imprisonment, the knowledge that
life will be preserved whether the crime
is detected or not and the hope that
lives while there is an assurance OF lie
ali help to make murders more numerous
than they would be in case there was
more severe punishment. There is moth
ing SO dear to man as life and if the
knowledge that he will lose his life does
not keep him from committing murder
nothing will. Minnesota with three large
and growing cities cannot again afford to
experiment with crime. A moral senti-
mentality must not be allowed to sup
plant experience and practical good
sense. A perverted idea of mercy must
not endanger the lives of citizens. But
there is little danger of such bill be-
coming law.
AS to the other proposition to raise the
age of consent, this should not prevail.
OF course from moral standpoint there
should be no age of consent. From
moral standpoint unlawful cohabitation
is always crime, 80 is it in law But
the law interposes to protect very young
females by making the crime of their
male companlors punishable in much
more severe manner than adultery or
fornioation between adults. The age OF
consent is fixed by law to protect young,
innocent, detenseless females. That age
is fixed at sixteen. This appears to be 9
reasonable age. Most Of the Eastern
states fix the age at twelve and only one
state places the age above sixteen. It
the age should be made eighteenth would
cease to be law for the protection Of IN
nocent females, but become source OF
blackmail for fallen women to employ.
The legal and the moral law. cannot al
wava coincide. The moral law aims at
complete virtue and no compromise with
vice can be tolera The punishment
which moral law provides Tor its viola
L..