New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-12
CALL IS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
DIR ANDREW D. WHITE BELIEVES THIS
ALONE WILL STEM THE TIDE
OF CRIME.
HIS sYMPATHIEs. HE SAYS. ARE DEEP AND
STRONG. BUT ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE
CRIMINALS vICrIMS--A PLEA


STRONG. BUT ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE
CRIMINALS vIcrIMs--A PLEA
FOR MORALITY.
When speaking before the Patria Club on FRIDAY
night about 1.-The Problem of High Crime IN the
United States" DR.. Andrew D. White urged as
one of the remedies that moral instruction Do
incucated in the schools and that young men III
the universities be brought face to face with IL
By visiting in body institutions OF various sorts
and there studying the criminal class one point
that he made was especially opposite in analysing
the cause of crime He held that one potent'ai
cause of the widespread criminal education "hicn
has resulted in a 'thugocracy," to coin woro ina.
appears TO ft the case. is The criminal eoucauon VI
children There is" he said, "a vast literature
in the country seen most clearly in sundry Illus
trated newspapers and dime novels, but especiaAy
IN the posters for sensation stories and plays at
Tho theatres Not without significance Is the fact
recorded in the newspapers a few years since 'ia'
In a large school for children in one OF the man.
towns In the State OF Michigan ten-year-o'o
pupil to whom the teacher was giving sis"'
punishment drew pistol upon her. lhereupo''
search was made and it was found that no less
than thirteen children owned pistols and frequently
carried them, and that three went constantly
armed ready to solve with the pistol any 'dncuiy
into which they might fall.
WEAPONS IN COURT.
An incident occurred in one OF the criminal COURT
rooms in this city not so long ago which Dr. " hite
had he known It. might have added at TINS point
An Italian was trial for murder ana the court
room was filed with his friends and the frehos OF
the murdered man as well An alteration arose IN
which one Of the contestants promptly ore" {"
waanon. This movement stimulated the court onl-
cers m institute a search. and every man Oh the
,,,o factions was found to be armed with a rcVoiVer
or knife and in some instances both weapons "eio
revealed by search of an individual. Ut. WINE
audience smiled at the incident OF the schooi e''
dren but he sterny reminded them nio'"e'
later that he was not going about making run for
noon,e that his was a serious paper to De seriously
considered Continuing. he cited the case Oh 'he
murder Of teacher by his pupils In one OF the
Western States and then turned to the recent at
tempt of three boys in New-fork city 10 "iuiuei
an. a, their associates the boys having drawn lots
N decide which one should shoot the victim oowh
Finally he recalled the case in New-'ersey OIL
mere lad who murdered a porter for his money III
,h,cb ease the Judge called attention from the
hench IN the INJURIOUS effect Of the light criminal
literature OF the country in stimulating the BOY 10
conmit the crime His conclusion from this premise
was:
SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR CRIME
"such germs Of crime widespread and have
struck deeply; they cannot be cured immediatey
but should be dealt with earnestly and vigorously
But In this growth of high crime there Is not only
a general but a special education for it. In every
town there are well-known dens about which can be
seen at all hours Of the day. but especially at night
youth in the process OF education for crime ana the
same process Is carried still further In many, per-
haps most. OF our jas and prisons"
In citing remedial suggestions Dr. White made one
that was particularly pertinent. Above ALL" he
said, there should be developed better public
sentiment more stern. more determined TO hold to
,he dufie
legislators and governors. Among the many
things also to be carefully kept in view by every
thinking citizen is the exercise OF the pardoning
power and in case OF need. the Governor should be
made mindful by letters that the of the people
upon him. He is deluged with letters in favor OF
the criminal. secured by his attorneys. while the
great of the public is silent. But finally It is OF
the very greatest Importance that the procedure In
cases OF crime should be simple and the penalties
speedy Thus far the death penalty indis-
pensable No other has been found effective:
none responds more perfectly to the universal sense
OF Justice"
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN ENGLAND.
To emphasize the soundness OF this position DR..
White offered the results obtained in Great Britain.
Statistics show that with all the latent brutality In
the population. crime. especially murder. is decreas-
ing This, he said, was because, first, their prisons
better administered a rule than ours. and
there is better separation OF hardened criminals
fewer political claims in the appointment prison
officials and in dealing with crime generally. incud-
because there is strong. honesf common-sense
averse to the pseudo-p philanthropy which pities
victims Fourthly, because every criminal has a
speedy trial before an excellent judge, with jury
drawn from the sound middle class and If he is con-
vcted there is no facility for appeal and chcanery
Legal 1ugglery with the laws against crime is not
Is no appeal, and punishment follows speedily upon
conviction. Dr. Whites last words were directed
day as exhibited for all classes of murderers but
especially those guilty of particularly brutal crimes
TEN THOUSAND FUTURE MURDERS.
Especially should the clergy and other leading
men bring TO bear upon the people one considera-
ton against distorted sympathies for crime, and
against the so-cilled mercy. which is the worst
OF cruelty. To-day Is the 10th Of April; to-day I
announce to you that there are doomed 10 death
In the United States during the year which begins
this day certainly over 10000 people, maybe 1000
who VIII be executed murderously, cruelty, with
out opportunity TO take leave OF those they love
without opportunity to make provision for those
dependent upon them; all this multitude OF persons
who have committed no crime. will be put to death
without the slightest regard for the fearful dis
families: Two-thirds OF these deaths OF innocent
people during the year beginning this day-deaths
absolutely certain. though no one can at present
tell where they are TO strike-fully two.thirds OF
ment in the Ue Community at large mscaed mercY
but really the most fearful cruelty. 1t Is con-
stantly said that we ought to show mercy True,
secure immunity to murderer on this plea, think
Of its effect on those who may yet be murdered
think of mercy to them. My sympathes are deep
and strong. but they for those who deserve
them-for the sufferings of who will be cruelty
murdered during this coming year; for the men
whose last thought under the assasslns knife will
not be for their own pain. but OF their wives and
children for women, Woodworking. sacrificing.
asking TO be allowed to labor night and day to
support their children. and who will be murdered
by brutal drunken husbands: for the children
who will thus be orphaned and beggared. For such
as these my sympathy Is strong. I cannot waste
IL on the creatures who have caused 1t. Sham
humanitarian metaphysics have become stencil;
the call is now for righteousness"