The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-05-06
CRIME AGAINST
CRIMINALS.


CkIMiNAlS. i and brutal to It's citizens II VIII not do to judge all
persons by the same standard to demand Of all the fuiGllment and perform
ance Of dutie, and obligations which the more fortunate alone are capable Of
doing Have not the weaker members f -oeHy-tboe who ire morally
sick and mentally deformcd, the same right 10 look for protection, Just and
compassionate treatment at the hands Of the state and their felow-mau as
those who are physically sick and disabled At the las. session Of the lcSis-
Nature, a bill passed providing for the establishment OF "A reformatory for
Juvenile offender. This bill remained with the governor until II few days
since when it wa. returned to the lcghtorc witn his veto Now we do not
undertake to critciNe the action Of the governor In refusing to sign this bill
for se re not familiar with it in detail. But we are particularly struck
with some Of the governors notions about some thing Al set forth In the
following extract from his veto message:
The primary object Of the punishment of criminals il to deter the evil
minded from the commission Of crimes The good and ioyoIobcy the law be
aus Of a patriotic love Of duty the base obey it because Of the fear Of pun.
i-hment for dhobcdiencc When the law says if a man commits Il certain
crime he shall receive a certain punishment commensurate with the crime
and the ministers Of the law emer md execute its judgments the evil
minded are thereby admonmhed to shun tho commission of crime The harm
u, society from fragrant crimes and gross violations of the law require pen
aIcs coirespondingly severe Such penalties must be prescribed az will On
force obedience to law and secure the peaceable and law abiding from harm
Reformation of the offenders whenever it can be accomplished should
always be sought but this n n secondary consideration, The state ought
never to tax the law abiding and honest primarily to reform the vicious and
corrupt Nor ought the state Ia. the honest and obcdhnt primarily and only
TO place the vicious and lawes where they are deprived Of the power to mo
lest itisa as much the duty of the vicious and corrupt to uphold the law Is
itisthe honest and upright, and if they willnot voluntarily do 30 they ought
tobc made to suffer the laws penalties primarily as examples to others of
their class to consuain them to do their duty
There Is the spirit of he'll in everything with some folks, The spirit Of
revenge which some people insist should characterize the enforcement Of
the law and the punishment of the vioiator Of it, is a relic of sarasery. 1t
ia dn.,oa,,ho n tho civiugo,ioo M Inc nrosaut and cau only he accounted
for on the score Of ignorance. Gov. Mclaurin is not alone in holding to the
vicious views expressed above o" this question. But he like they seems to
misunderstood the real nature of thinss-thc deepseated cause Of the trou-
amidst certain environments phySIcal ad mcn'a 'oh't'oh
which render the pcrpcuaor insensbc Of the consequences Of his deed and
impotcnt TO withstand the temptation. They fail to comprehend the fact
that behind every act and deed Of man there is an efficient cause. They do
not hesitate long enough in the consideration Of this most serious question
to understand that it is quite probable that the actions of all men are" ode
tcrmlncd by countless causes over which they have no control"
"Arc the brains of criminals exactly like the brains of honest men?
Have criminals the same ambitions-tbe same standard OF happiness or of
wclbetng2 If difference exist in brain will that in part account for u diff
ference in character? Is there anything in hercdhy? Are vices as carefully
transmitted by nature ~ virtues? Does each man IN some degree pear pr-
dens imposed by ANCESTORS We know that disease of flesh and blood are
transmitted tt that the child is the heir of physical dctormtty. Are diseases
OF the brain are deformlucs of the soul of the mind also transmitted?' IT
thny ur We ruu ntrpunt in prcDt tnplsurpf far he crime hat Cur-r he
earth and disturb society 1t will also determine the question of the oblj
CATION which the more fortunate members of society owe to the afflicted
The governor says that reformation of he offenders, whenever it can he &C
compnShed, should always be sought, but this is a secondary considerations
The state ought never to tax the law-abidiug and honest primarily to re-
form the vicious and corrupt Such sentiment Is fcartnllyo out OF Joihtwlth
the spirit Of The times, ii IS in direct contradiction of the noble spirit Of
christianity IA rdutation of the inehable sacrifice made by the dcspsed Naz-
ann for "yfdous and corrupt" humanity, and places our boosted ciyniaa-
tin upon the most barbaric basis, If the strong should not care for the
weak the good should neglect the "viciouS and corrupt if the wise
should not care for the weak minded, in the name of heaven what would be-
come of this country? The governor has announced a most remarkable doc
trine-starling ethics. We admit that it Is the duty of the "Nicions and
healthy, wclItorncd and sensible, and all women to be sondlooking, gentle
and sweet. But they are not. They are simply the creations of lcrdiy
and environments, with tendencies formed and instincts shapened without
Their direction OF consent.
The governors doctrine viii not do, The healthy members Of society
owe it to themselves to take the proper care of those members who are NOR
ally and mentally sick, Just as much as they do to feed and care for those who
are physically indrm. Every prison should be II reformatoy IA kind of hos
for moral cippeS, aud every thing should be done there to restore
and which tends to build up those qualities of mind and soul, and losing Of
which makcsa person IA criminal. 1t is not a mttcro I cost but a question
Of right.
II the governors idea of small expense in dealing with this question is
The proper one, and the only one, the cheapest way out will be to kill all Of
tenders. II incarceration will not improve the morals and tit the offender
.r performing more properly the duties of good citizenship 50 far as the
society, and probably the offender himself is concerned, it were better
to kill him. That is the logic of Coy. McIaurins position. 1t is crude,
nuel aud out Of accord with the spirit of the age. That greatest Of all per-
whose infinite soul suffered infinite woe that the condition of fallen
humanity might be amcorated, stamps His everlasting disapproval upon
a doctrine.
A rAuune