The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-21

life. Strangely enough this very quo
tation is one whose correct translation
is very doubtful. No bible before the
fifth century had the quotation in such
form, nor did the Septuagist, nor does
the Italian, Spanish or French YER
sion contain it that way, the words
by man. being omitted. The Greek
word from which "shall' is translated
could just as well be translated will
and many authorities claim that it is
the proper translation. So that what
/ is claimed as command from the AL
mighty may well be a prophecy and
not a command. And if some will in
sist that it is a command what of
! those other quotations. "all they that
| take the sword shall perish with the
sword" Is that a command to kill all
| the soldiers?" Bloody and deceitful
men shall not live out half their days"
Is this a command or simply
prophecy indicating that a bad man
will have a bad ending? And if that is
a command why was it not followed in
the case of Moses. Lamech, David,
AbSalom, Simeon, Levi, and the rest,
who all shed blood and some COM
mitted atrocious murders and yst most
of them found favor in the eyes of the
Lord, we are told, and lived to a good
| old age, and died in their beds
| think Mr.. Speaker we should be care
! full how we take isolated quotations
/ from Holy Writ to support our argu-
ments. We might well quote Thou
shalt not KILL" Vengeance is mine
and 1 will repay, sayeth the Lord,
and many Others both in the old and
| the new testament and vet as l said
| before it is upon this quotation that
| the main portion of their argument
rests. We must remember also that
] the laws of that day were given to a.
race different in condition. in environ
ment in temperament than ourselves
of today and that it is not for legis-
lators 10 be governed by conditions Of
the past but by the needs and condi-
tons of the present.
| Coming now to the question of retri-
| button being a divine right or COM
mand, 1 think 1 have shown by the
/ testimony of the bible itself that it is
mot; that man has used this method
of punishment through the ages, with
all its variations of horrible torture
! to extend the suffering, more with a
spirit of revenge and to satisfy his
own ideas of punishment than because
of a higher law. And from the fact
that as he advances in civilization and
|
from such cruelty and Furnishes with
death fewer and fewer crimes,
indicates that it is not a
question of a command given once for
all for all people, but that man is fol-
lowing the divine law of love and jus
| tice in proportion as he advances to-
wards the plane of higher life. and
it foreshadows that at no distant day
the state will come to realize that in
it but sets an example for it's citizens
and creates in their breasts a lack Of
that reverence for human life which is
the greatest safeguard society pos
sesses.
WILL IT PREVENT CRIME?
No, Mr.. Speaker, the only argument
that can be advanced in favor of CAPT
tai punishment is the one of expsd-
iency. VIII it act as a preventative of
future crime? Will it deter future
murders? If not, then all reason for
such punishment csases. And l sub
nit. Mr.. Speaker. without fear of Sue
ceSsful contradiction that the arSu-
ment that it does deter hopelessly
fails. all the facts are against it. Our
own observation shows this to- be true.
In every state where capital punish
ment exists murders are increasing.
Throughout the ages this punishment
has been held over mems heads as a
threat, aye even with all the methods
man could devise to augment 1T and
prolong the torture, and yet murder rs
prevalent throughout the world ;-Cday;
az 902 homicideS have been COMMITTEES
in the United States in the last hve
wears. so says the record, an appalling
one Mr.. Speaker, the remedy is not
there. How long will the world keep
from seeing that the doctrine of fear
has ever been a failure. The very fac.
that men will use the argument shows
how superficial are, their tnoughts- A
moments meditation on it shows lis
absurdity. When man commit murder
they are not generally in a condRAon
to think of the consequences; they are
in a state of drunkenness, anger or n
intense feeling for revenge, sufhc.si.
for the time being to- dethrone their
:. reason and in nine cass5 out OF Ten
regret the act just as much as any one
So as I said before, Mr.. Speaker, une
idea that this punishment deters others
is a fallacious one. 1t is not ths' tax
ing of life shat prevents future crime
it is the reverence fer 1t.
MOB VIOLENCE.
aft prevents mob violence, is an
other argument advanced to supper
capital punishment, but IN view OIL .llS
fact thar we are all aware lha1 HIor
violence or lynching is on the increase
it need not be seriously considered, ano
as a matter of fact this severe penalty
is the indirect cause of lyne.,ing. Inc
sentiment against the punishment De
ing so widespread, juries Will not prlne
in yerdicts of death, and if they do the
courts prolong the matter TIL the cases
finally fall through, and the people, moi
! looking to the cause of the failure oil
the law, but allowing themselves to be
carried away with excitement and pas
sion, resort to lynch law and accom-
plish in excitement what they woulc
not do in calmer moments. Out OF thS
43.902 homicides above mentioned
there were only 72S legal executions ant
/ IFS lynchings-a condition that may
well cause law-abiding citizens