New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-11
THE PROBLEM OF HIGH CRIME
EX-MINISTER WHITE SPEAKS ON THE IN
CREASE OF HOMICIDE
He BELIEVES 1T MAY BE CHECKED By ELE-
MENTARY INSTRUCTION IN MORALS AND THE

He BELIEVES IT MAY BE CHECKED BY ELE-
MENTARY INSTRUCTION IN MORALS AND THE
ENFORCEMENT OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
The season of the Patria Club ended last night
with what possibly the most vitality interesting
and important session that notable organizat ton
has yet held and this for the that the
guest Of the club for this occasion DR.. Andrew
u. White, late president of Cornell University,
cX-Minster TO Berlin and TO St Petersburg and
now member of the Venezuelan Commission. Dr.
White pleasantly introduced by the president
of the club. the Hon. Ellis H. Roberts. In the
familiar rooms at Sherrys brilliant audience was
gather ID to welcome the speaker who had
TO talk about The Problem of High Crime in the
United States Dr. White had two texts u offer.
from Genesis ~, TO- Thy brothers blood
crieth unto from the ground and the second
from the Declaration of Independence. beginning:
I'VE hold these truths" etc, and ending with.
That among these life. liberty and the pursuit
of happiness"
And first remark" he said. las a simple matter
of fact, that In no other civilized country does
brothers blood cry from the ground so loudly and
so vairiy this country OF ours and tina; under
no other civilized Government. whether monarchy
republic. is the right to LIE at the present time
so rampled upon by privileged class-a privileged
class of criminals Simply as a matter of fact the
United States Is. among all the nations OF the Chris
an world that country in which the crime of
frequently punished.
THE PROFESSION OF CRIME.
Continuing from this he held that that in all of
the great cities of this country there is a we'll
defined criminal class. class OF men whose pro-
fession is crime. just clearly the profession
of Marshall Field. Of Chicago is known TO be trade,
and that of MIR. Choate. at NewYork. the law.
This criminal class is 'preserved"-to use a game
term-with practically the same care that is given
O J
have been developed in which its stronger men may
prow and from which they sally forth TO prey
upon the community judiciary committees OF
ton to any thorough cutting into or clearing up Of
criminal lawyer. the man ready to resort to any
expedent and TO go 10 any length In the defence OF
bullying the Governor il his bedchamberi is
recognized parsonage" The speaker passed from
tire of the criminal class to consideration Of
vital statistics showing that the Increase OF crim-
increase of the population IN 1850 the number of
offenders in prison for each million Of inhabitants
was about SOC. 1860 Soc ten years later.
nearly 800 and in 1850 nearly 200. DR. White
showed by statistics that the number Of homcidgs
In this country for seven years, ending iSt year
was i7.469 The increase to the million OF lSpuIar
ton is from ISL to l per cent the @a number a6 Cd
the number of lynchings LIS.
HANGING IN RELATION TO CRIME
Upon this the speaker remarked that 1t was to De
observed that four years ago when the number OF
legal executions notably decreased the properties"
of lynchings was notably increased but they nave
steadily decreased since that year and sh hoId an
average far above the number OF legal executions
He took account also OF the number OF persons VINO
might be supposed TO be In prison suffering ior re- ae
grees OF crime not punishable with death. ms
consoling reflection. he said must also he deniel
Referring 10 his figures for the six years aircady
cited and deGuctins the number legally ana ne
gally executed there still remain 42os': Inc TENN
census shows 1903 persons in prison charged win
homicide: the eleventh. census. 1871 s.ifn, con
ISOLATION there. his auditors seemed to thlnk, Ut;
White passed on TO cite Instances OF unpunishci
murders and Illustrated orc'biy how the execution
follows conviction al such heightened perod from
the comrnissiO the crime that the deterrent c-
feet OF the sentence is wholly lost He spoke or the
extreme severity of the last century hnglng Us
antithosis in the lenity OF this. saying IN
cur own country this do-phianthropy became
on the part OF considerable number OF people
fad
SENTIMENTALITY AND CRIME.
Phrase-mongers peddlei out the idea that society
and not the individual. the criminal. ana hnaly
II reached its highest point In the assertion thd'
society has no right to punish the criminal hut
tina. i,s onlv right Is TO reform MIN From sources