Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-10-29

or naval codes, about seventeen being
included in the civil code. Among
these are burning q vessel at sea, rob-
berry on the high seas, robbery on
shore by the crew of piratical vessel,
detention Of negroes on board vessel,
Selling negroes on a foreign shore,
burning dwelling house within a fort,
laying violent hands upon the captain
of ship, treason or any act of hostil-
ity against the United States or any
citizen thereof on the high seas under
the color of commission from a foreign
state, or on pretense of such authority.
According to statistics, but small
percentage of criminals are convicted,
about two per cent of homicides suffer
ing the extreme penalty. While the
! population Of the United States during
the past decade has increased twenty
per cent, the number of homlcidal
crimes has increased 400 per cent, so
that 1t will be readily seen that capital
punishment does not restrain criminals.
During the years 1890-91-92 there were
in the federal courts 1913 trials of homl-
cidal cases, with SO convictions and IL
executions With rs out of 1913 crimi-
nails going scot free, the comparative
increase between population and crimes
is not to be wondered at. During the
year 1895 there were but 1872 executions
in all of the states and territories.
1t Is an ancient aphorism that the OBJ
ject of all punishment is the proven
ton Of further crime, but certain 1t is
that criminals will not be restrained so
long as they see such large chance in
their favor. Juries are slow to convict,
Knowing that they are dealing with a
Z human life, and in all cases of doubt
they are instructed that the advantage
should be given the accused The ac-
tual punishment suffered by con-
demned man is momentary, and he Of
| ten halls the hour with delight, well
! coming death as a relief from his re-
morse. How often do we hear eyes,
killed him, and hope they hang me
for It,"
1t is often argued that the abolition
Of capital punishment would result in
a crowded condition Of prisons, en-
failing expenses upon the state, but in
view Of the statistics given above this
cannot be so. During the year speci-
fed there would have been all over the
country an increase of 1872 life prison
ers, or less than three over the domain
of an entire state. Supposing larger
increase, they could certainly be en-
ployed probably to the state. Do
away with the barbarous practice of
dealing out death, subject the convict
ed to life Imprisonment, restrict the
pardoning power, and as this country
leads in progress and civilization, so it
will lead in humanity.
Again, it is contended that if we
abolish this method of punishment we
would be contravening divine pre-
cept, viz: "A life for a life,' but it
should be remembered that we do not
follow the Bible literally in all other
respects; were we to do so, the human
race in the course of time would be-
come extinct, for it is also written,
"He that taketh unto himself wife
doeth we'll, but he that taketh not un-
to himself doeth even better" If the
Bible be inspired we must accept 1t all
or reject it all, for anything inspired
cannot be good in part and bad in part.
Far from my purpose is it to offend any
one by reputation Of the Scriptures,
but we must agree at any rate that we
cannot be guided entirely in the affairs
of life at the close Of the nineteenth
century by precepts spiritual or ma
terial handed down centuries before
the birth of Christ.
There were many members among
the last congress who would do away
with capital punishment entirely.
General Curtis, of New York, intro
duced a bill into the senate, calling at
tention to the fact that number of
foreign countries have done away with
the death penalty with good results.
Russia abolished it in 1853 except for
treason, with no increase in crimes.
Others are Belgium, Brazil, Holland,
Italy, Portugal, Venezuela, Costa RIGA,
and recently Guatemala. Not only
these, but some of our own state, have
done away with capital punishment
Michigan in 1S47, Rhode Island in 1852,
Wisconsin in 1853 and Maine in 1876.
Maine restored it in 1888 and abolish
ed It again in 1887. The foremost man
in the advocacy Of abolition in that
state was Thomas B. Reed.
In England in 1918 death was the
penalty for 223 different offenses. A
commission was appointed to look into
the matter, resulting in striking out
number Of them from the list The
only offenses punishable capitally in
England at the present day are high
treason, murder, piracy with violence,
burning ships-of-war, dock yards and
arsenals. AS in this country, the pun
ishment is confined almost entirely to
murder, the other offenses being of rare
occurrence.
Catherine II. of Russia is quoted as
saying: I'VE must punish crime with
out initiating it"