The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-09-06
CRIME ON THE 1NCRrtsg.

Lynchings in two states recently.
one in California and one in Ken
tucky. Not long ago there vas q
lynching in Ohio. 4 large number
Of lynchings have been reported else.
where, and altogether tins prom .ses to
be the greatest year in The history If
the country in the matter of lynchings.
What is the cause Of all this Ger.
tainly politics have nothing to do with
1t. California is at times a debatable
state, giving good round Republican
majority one year and a small Demo-
cratic majority the next. Kentucky
is a staunch Democratic state and
Ohio is just as staunchly Republican.
Politics may therefore be acquitted OF
any participation in or responsibility
for lynchings. Nor is it geographical
location that urges men to such crime.
From New York bay to the Pacific
and fiom Central Pennsylvania to
Florida, lynchings have been commit
ted.
There can be no other explanation
advanced except that the United
States is growing more lawless each
year. The record OF each succeeding
year is more closely filed with mur.
ders, robberies, assaults, lynchings
and all other crimes. Outrages upon
women, and especially upon girls, are
becoming extremely frequent. All
known vice, and vices until recently
almost wholly unknown, are practiced
oftener and more publicly than ever.
Lawlessness of corporations, aided by
officers Of the law, venality of law
officers, bribery and bribe taking of
legislative bodies, contempt OF indi-
vidual rights and liberties by petty
officials and prominent judges, all Of
these and much more lead up to the
crowning ofense against law and
order, the anarchistic pretense Of aid
to government, lynching.
If the citation of rapidly increasing
offenses appears to be exaggerated
read the papers. That crime is on
the increase cannot be doubted.
That human life is held cheaply alike
by those who sacrifice it and BY those
sworn to protect it is beyond dispute.
We will soon, if this tendency is rot
checked, become the most vicious
and lawless people in the world
Patriot.
There are many people who will
not agree with the Patriot that crime
is on the increase. A New York
clergyman only short time ago, pro.
claimed that the world is growing
better. 1t cannot be successfully
denied however, that the reports OF
murders, burglaries, outrages on
women, and nearly every other form
OF crime, in the newspapers, are much
more numerous than ever before. If
crime is not on the increase, It must
be that the newspapers are more
active in catering to the morbid ap.
petltes Of their readers, by publishing
accounts of crimes committed with all
the horrible details at length. The
records OF the police courts are search
ed and the reporters of the city dailies
here find material for column after
column Of matter giving publicity to
the depraved side of human nature.
II crime is on the increase, and we
believe it is, it is because this country
has been flooded with the criminal
classes Of Europe. Our ports are
open to everybody excep: the Chinese
and few paupers. Occasionally one
sees in the papers an account Of a
chinese murder, but to one of these
there are hundred among the Huns
and Poles, and the offscourings Of
other countries who have been per
mlttcd to land on the shores of "free
America" Crime is on the increase,
and so long as the mistaken policy OF
the United States shall continue, in
permitting unlimited immigration of
the criminal classes of the old world,
so long will il continue to increase.