The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-14
THE SEA OF DEPRAVITY
DIR. Eastman Strikes a New
Note in a Paper
Read Before the Kansas Medical
Society Last Night.
What Can be Done to Lift the Human
Race Higher-The Society Takes
steps to Carry Out DR.. East
mans Suggestions

To solve a social problem and lay a
part of the foundation of the millennium
is practically the task which the Kan
sas Medical society has this year taken
upon itself to perform. After an une-
ventful career of 81 years as a state
medical association. the society now
comes forward with a project of greater
magnitude than any undertaking py tIle
most progressive scientific organizations
of the century
Before an audience of nearly nun
dred OF the most prominent physicians
OF Kansas, Or. d 3. Eastman, SupS44iA-
tendent Of the Topeka insane asylum,
yesterday evening read paper entl-
tied can Society Successfully organ
lie to Prevent over Production OF De-
fectVeS and Criminals The paper
provoked a discussion Of probably more
interest and importance than any ever
before engaged in by the members OF
the society, which concluded with the
unanimous adoption of the following
resolutions
Resolved. That a committee of five
Of which DR.. Eastman shall be CHAIR I
man, be appointed and instructed TO IN
Stitute an inquiry for the purpose OF
acquiring evidence relating to the queS-
ton of OVer-p production of detectives
and criminals, upon which to base a
memorial to the legislature Of this state
and the public of this country, and re-
port at the next annual meeting
In his paper DE-. Eastman said:
The conditions attendant upon mod /
ern social development have produced
the highest types Of national and indi-
Vidual growth, power, education and
excellence, but the Wayside is StreWn
with failures. While the most enlight-
ened nations show the best OF intellect
ual and moral worth, they also exhibit
th- most profound mental degradation
and moral turpitude. SaVagery and
barbarism produce comparatively less
Of detectives and criminals than does
enlightenment and education.
There is no greater point of differ
eAce between savage or semi civilized
nations and those which are most en-
Hghtened and christianized than the
way they threat detectives. When the
rude soIons of savagery or the intense
~ practical mandarins of q higher but
peculiar civilization are confronted with
the problem of detectives. they adopt
practical application of the "cui bono /
theory and require 10 almshouses or
asylumS. They knock their old men in
the mead and pitch the youthful defec- !
tiVes into the water or gathering Gu
thanasia from the poppy hasten the
exit of detectives by methods less brjI-
tai but no less sure.
As to criminals among inferior DeO-
pies, they are comparatively fewer and
are not dealt with tendeTly. Certain it
Is, they are very little in evidence and /
are little or no tax upon the public
The sentiment of our christian civil
lzatlon, tending to the preservation of I
QeIectlTes and criminals, imposes very +
heavy burdens.
1t is unnecessary to dwell upon this
proposition, to instance the ''JuKes'' +
IatlllIy or 10 demonstrate the prominent
and pervading effect OF hereditv None
VIII caVu or question on these points
none Will withhold consent to the state
ment that We are burdened with an
oVef-pfoductOn of detectives and Grim
inals.
Furthermore, we have taken the
STAND that detectives must be cared for
IN the most humane and conserve tive
manner ana appear to hold that Grim
lnaIs with but few exceDtions) are on
utIed TO put the public to great ex-
pense through the channels of iuris-
prudence, to serve out sentences in
compare lively comfortable quarters
or 70 be pardOned out to again infiict
tlelf atrocities on a suffering public It
necessarily follows that the detectives
and criminals we ALWAYS have Win nc
al great expense. The direct COST IN
the public for the care of detectives
ana Tor the prosecution and support of
CRIMINALS IS simply enormous and we'll
nigh OTerWhelming to saw nothing Of
the tremendous loss of productive ca
pacIty and the destruction to life and
property, confidence and morality. We
- Oh pullOlnS. aSyIumS, hospitals re-
1ormatOries and prisons and we keen
theIn Iull- InbeciEty. idiOcy. insan-
lty. epilepsy, Deafness incorrfgibilftv
youthful waywardness. adolescent vice (
anu immortality and adult criminalfty /
multiply apace in the land. and. star
tIed and aHrightened, Well may we ask: /
IAN society successfully organize to /
H.
gefous overproducuon of detectives 1
and criminals?'
1t goes without saying before a /
medical and scientific audience thar +
the consideration of these questions is I
leading to an examination of certain
underlying principles. namely: sexual I
IeialIons environment and that higher T
factor in human evolution consisting
essentially in~the promotion and pur-
SUIT OF ideals, denOminated progress
This world with its inhabitants is
gradually but surely moving into a new
ana more brilliant light and freeing
Itself from the shadows Of ancient err
rors and modern superstitfons Already
the hilltops of science are luminous
and men of Intelligence and learning
no longer dwell in an atmosDherp az
gloom peopled with imaginary beings.
Sods and demons. and multitudfnOus
ghostly survivals of ancestral chilneras.
standing in the relation of invisible
causes of all visible effects: but MOVING
ever on and up toward the greaterlisht
realize the fact that with every step
taken vision becomes clearer and more
comprehensive, and positions NAV he
occupied today with safety that but