Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-30

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| caily to the inadequacy OF our system
/ TO meet the requirement than these
figures; nor appeal more forcibiy for
reform; nor could anything illustrate
more fully the needs OF prophylaxis
against hereditary criminals.
That under the existing system, In
order that crime may be appropriately
punished. crimes are classified aia a
penalty nfilxed 20 each. One great diff
flculty IL that criminals are not classi-
fed also. The fact that a murder. for
Instance. was n first offense. cuts no
figure. There Is a penalty for murder
death by hanging) and all murderers,
old and young. male and female, good
family or bad. penitent or Indifferent,
first offense or fortieth, must exp!ate IL
Ito satisfy the ends OF Justice.
There is a penalty for homicide, and
all homicideS must conform to the
penalty; there is no qualifying clrcum-
stance, except the degree OF the Of
fonse. II Is simply left 10 the judge 10
determine the crirle. classify It. and
looking In the book. md the compan-
Ion piece to II, the penalty--and NJ the
one 90 the other; and TO the Jailer or
sheriff to execute the penalty. There IL
no discrimination. In jail he is sur
rounded by vicious, hrutahzinK anyi-
rorment, huddied, perhaps, with lot
OF flthy negroes and Mcxicans. all har-
dened criminals, IN fact. made to
breathe an atmosphere fatal to evey
instinct OF self-respect. and calculated
10 crush out every atom OF manhood.
When brought to trial the fact that II
was his first killing. that he was drunk
at the time, and for the first time In
his life, and had not even knowledge
OF what he had done: that realizing
the situation he T. deeply penltent. and
would give worlds to undo and make
TTsstitt docs not in the least quail.
ify the offense. except, perhaps. II
may secure for him the minimum term
OF imprisonment-the highest punlsh-
ment that goes with that kind OF crime;
II Is definite term, and carries with 1t
eternal disgrace, social and business
ostracism and Acknowledgement Could
anything be more unjust?
lie said that self-defense and the pro-
lection OF home are the strongest in
stincts OF human nature. The people
OF Texas are as loynl and law-ablding
as are to be found anywhere: but when
they realize that the methods OF deal
Ing With the raplst and murderer and
the double crime. rape and murder
land that too, most frequently. OF ten
der young children, are not effectual
to put A stop TO IL, even when the law
y swiftly executed, but, on the con-
trary that an execution, even In the
horrid form OF the stake, actually ap-
pears TO incite others To the crime, IL
simply drives them to madness The
horrible execution OF Henry Smith at
Paris, must have been known to every
negro In Texas; but II did not deter
another negro from committing a SINH
lar outrage short time after at Tyler,
aud he met a similar fate Nor have
the several prompt hangtngs for raps
been attended with more salutary re-
suits. Rape is VIGOROUSLY on the In
crease, not only In Texas. but In other
States, and lynch law is brought into
execution.
He believed that the fountain head
and source whence flows this great evil
-lynehing--can be traced to the unwise
policy that obtains OF paying legislators
uay-laborers wages. In Texas the per
diem Is SO; and after sixty days II Ia
reduced to 81. It Is hardly to be ex-
pected that such remuneration would
command very high order Of law
making talent. Statutes enacted By
men who can afford to leave home and
business for 81 per day, who know
nothing OF the requirements OF sanitary
legislation. and don't want TO be told
and could not fairly comprehend the
subject II they were told. are apt TO be
defective. ambiguous and conflicting.
ard no AFFORD grounds for endles,
"errora." protracted trials and tedious
delays
capital punishment. he said. is be.
thinking people, and Is being very gem
eraily condemned by medical writer's as
barbarous, useless and uniustlanbie
hhd c9stration rs a substitute therefor
is rapidly growing In popular favor
Aluch or the prejudice that existed
' 5sni an eastfation Is disappearing UNI
DER the light OF reason, Indeed, IL SEEM
that there Is every reason
why capital punishment should he
abolished, and isolation and emaacuta-
uon substituted; ana the fundamental
pilheipleH OF Justice demand that where
possible, restriction should tako tho
place OF Improvement Coporeal NM
luhment never made u school bow GOOD.
and the morals OF a communitv oar
never be purified by system, OF num- !
ishment entailing eternal disgrace os |
peialty Tor miAdeeds. The aonse OF in. |
!usuee arouses resentment and stlrs |
me worst element In ones nature.
IN conclusion he said that while va |
may never be civilized up to a Svsten,
OF scientific breeding OF people (as wa
10 our stoch, Il unquehtionnbiv iias |
MltninB the scope and power OF atnte |
medicine TO eliminate much that Il
eVll. and bring about great imnroves
,heht, even IN tho next generation, in
the physical. moral and intelIecfpai
Status or society. And chief amnnrst
the agencies effective to this end VII
pe-state regulation of marriage ana
slerllzation. This Is the mission 81
reuonal medicine: to the accomnitah.
Inont OF which the profession sho,,id
auuress Itself, with the conylction fha,
guy requires 1t true philanthropy dics
..Rtes ~, policy suggests IL, and ~ 10
lemanded by every conslde-anion 10
Justice, Mercy and humanity.
Or j, II. Sears OF Waco ied In ,ho
eefslon OF this paper, stating that
~ uoe.orb position was not In accord.
Nv, WIN molly writ which required
i ~, me blood OF murdorers should be
'neu IN atonement therefor.
~, N. y. Kennedy OF HIllsboro
heartily endorsed Or. Daniels nnuer
On motion. the discussion was hero
tossed TO proceed with the next sec.
Or. w r. Rlallock OF McGregor onar-
~ resolution favoring the nresenta-
ION or bill TO the Legislature provid-
re- tor taking the testimony OF nhvSi-
'ians n legal trials by deposition. end
'Nenlptlng them from personal nttenn-
snoe on court except where absoluteiv
On motion of Britain OF Arlington.
he resolution Was enthusiastically
The section OF "GynecoIoxv. vo.
hen organized Dr. II. j. Beil Of rvler
hartman OF this section being ahsent
y motion OF DR.. II. A. West. Dr., Il q
tetcher OF Dallas, secretary OF tba &c.
ION waa made chairman. DR. i, N
,hpps OF Fort Worth was then mnda
eeresary and proceeded TO read ma "a.
lrcss OF Chairman T. j. Bell. which Ma