The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-10
STOCKWELL'S BILL KILLED.
EARNEST DEBATE ON THE CUES
TIoN LED BY THE MINNEAPOLIS
MEMBER.
PARTY LINES CLOSELY DRAWN
On the Bill to Make Sure of the
Validity of the Anderson BILL
1t Was Defeated, Too.

cial order for the consideration of Mr.
StOckwelPs BILL H. F. 63, to abolish
capital punishment. The house met at
o'clock with the speaker in the chair
and Mr.. Stockwell was recognized in
defense of the measure. He started in
with an apparent knowledge that his
fight was a losing one and quoting
Thomas Paine, he said that he recog
nized that time won more converts
than reason, and his only excuse for
taking up the time of the house was
a deep sense Of duty. He asked for
fair hearing, and cited a quotation
from Wendell Phillips, in which he
said that half the battle was to get a
respectful hearing.
The only argument, said Mr. Stock
we'll, against the abolition of capital
punishment was that it was a deter
rent of crime. This he denied, and he
cited local instances. Taking up the
case of Harry Hayward, he said that
HayWard's influence for evil was go
ing on and on, while BliXt was in dis
grace and ignominy behind the prison
bars.
Discussing the evil effect of judicial
murders" he said that they were breed
erS Of crime, rather than measures to
deter crime and protect society. He
called attention to the action of the
people of Saltwater protesting against
the passage of the Ferris bill which
seeks to have all the condemned muir
derers executed at the state prison. as
an evidence of the sentiment of the
people against the practice of hang
lrg. He quoted from numerous news
paper clippings and reports upon the
subject in support of the theory that
capital punishment does not prevent
murder. He read the names Of states
in which capital punishment has been
abolished, including Iowa. Michigan.
Rhode Island, Maine and Wisconsin.
and said that he would not claim that
crime was less in these states. but If
was not more.
Mr. StockWell urged that in the point
OF view of the criminal there was no
argument against murder; that it was
different in the case Of the normally
moral man from that of the criminal
classes. He concluded his effort in an
eloquent plea fer humanity and a step
forward in civilization
Mr. Littleton spoke in opposition TO
the bill. He ridiculed the idea of quot
ng IOm Palne'S common sense as COM
pared with the Bible command of an
eye Tor an eye or tooth for a tooth.
He spoke Of the wisdom OF capital pun
1shment and its antiquity, pointing out
that in the states which tried it a
large number have repealed the law
abolishing capital punishment, notably
Missouri and Tennessee. He was
strongly opposed to the movement Of
the reformers.
Mr.. Grondahl spoke in defense of
the Dill and made a strong argument.
MI. Donnelly followed, making a philo-
Sophlcal speech, in which he pointed
out that men were only the result of
forces outside Of themselves. Rut This
was not question Of philosophy, but
a matter Of practical legislation. There
was time when the world was cruel.
but now it is getting more humane. The
question now is whether the pendulum
has not swung far enough in that di-
rectlon. Mr.. Donnelly then argued that
there was no punishment for MANY in
Imprisonment for life, and nothing short
OF the death penalty VIII keep them in
check These are terribly hard times.
and this is no period to let down the
bars and make it less terrible to take
human life.
Mr.. Dahl made a short but effective
talk IN favor of the bin. He said he
ShOuld not quote from the Pentateuch
but rely upon his common sense. and
as Long as he did not believe that the
death penalty was deterrent Of crime.
he should vote for it's adjustment.
Mr.. Larson made az speech Of but one
sentence He said: That would be all
Tight; out the murderer always begins
the trouble
Mr.. Foss also argued in favor Of
hanging. He compared the bill to
proposition to keeping a ferocious tiger
instead Of killing him. ID
Judge Hicks said zheit should not be
pre- sent to vote but he wanted to de-
clare himself in opposition to the bill.
Mr.. StockwelPs reply was earnest
Ihomas Paine from the insinuations
cast upon his name by Mr. Littleton,
ana replied that man who could give
utterances to such sentiments as
moved from the pen Of Paine, who could
plead Tor the life of Louis XIV. and who
had stood with Washington, Franklin
and Jefferson during the dark hours of
the American Revolution, should need
no defense in any American deliber-
ative body.
He quoted Warden Wolfer and some
OF the great authorities upon GRIMM
ology to the effect that they did not
regard hanging as in any way tending
to reduce crime
When the roll was called, Mr.. Abbott.
IN explaining his position, made quite
speech in behalf of the bill The bill
was lost by a vote of % yeas and 70
nays. Those who voted for the abolish
ment of capital punishment were:
Messrs ABBOTT, Dahl, Dale, Douglas, Finney
F irn Grondahl Hall, Heimerdinger, Hol-
man, johns. Lee. IlOVd arin Mol
McGfl, Parker, Peterson Smith SouIe Stock
well, Vigen, Wood.
STOCKWELL'S OTHER Bill, TOO
Yesterday was in one sense Repre-
sentative StockwelFs day in the house.
Twice he was at the bottom Of meas
ures before the lower branch of the
legislature, and in neither case did he
receive much in the way of encoura ge-
ment from his fellow Representatives
IN the morning he did the best he
COuId TO drag into question the validity
OF the Anderson railroad taxation act
maze law at thef last session. The
matter was brought up by the motion
OF the Hennepin member to place H.
II. az ON general orders in spite of the
report of the committee for indefinite
p"stponement. AS Will be seen below
party lines controlled the vote, which
stood 81 to Is against the motion.
,Y1.eas-Donnelly, Emerson, Foell. Froslee,
man. Lloyd, Marin, Peterson, Poetz, Stock
we'll. Vigen-15.
Nays-Abbott. Anderson, Barta, Basford.
Belden, Bergley. Bigelow, Boutwell,, Brus-
letten, Briggs, Cray, Cunningham, Dale DIAL
limore, Dare. Davies. Douglas, Drommerhau-
sen, Dunn, Dyer. Eigenbrodt. Feig Ferris,
Kinney, Foss Grondahl Gum, Hartshorn,
Jacobson. johnson. Johnson. Kraker. Laing
Larson, Laybourn. Leach Li1tleton. Love-