The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-27
THE LOWERING CASE.


THE LOWERING CASE.
What the verdict in the Lowering
court martial case may be the public
may not know certainly until it
shall please the authorities of the
war department to give 1T out.
What it ought to be we think
is not doubtful in the mind of
any humane and intelligent man. There
are points of strong resemblance be-
tween the circumstances in this case
and the evidence and that attached to
the investigation into the conduct OF
our own prison at Saltwater. In both
instances there is the existence of
necessarily stern and rigid system
OF discipline which those subject to it
must obey or suffer the consequences.
In both cases there is rough material
to deal with, and every enc recognizes
the importance of enforcing instant and
complete obedience. In both cases
there is more or less INSTRUMENTATION,
and in both the methods adopted to
cCerce a mutinOus subject appear to
have been brutal in themselves and
outside of what the regulations or the
dictates of humanity would permit.
The private who made the complaint
refused to obey a summons. 1t IS in
evidence that he was kicked and prod
ded with a sword while lying down. 1t
is admitted that rope was tied around
his ankles, and that he was dragged
feet foremost up and down flights of
steps and across the ground to the
place to which he was ordered.
No necessity exists in time of peace
for a resort to such methods. No
system of regulations and no exer-
else of authority that is consistent
with the code of IAN officer and a gen
tIeman" can justify or excuse it. 1t is
clear that we have to be on our guard
in this country against the growing in
clination to distinguish between classes,
and the insolent assertion of those who
are in superior place, by virtue of the
power of the state and the law, to dom
ineer over and infiict cruelty upon
their subordinates. Human nature is
pretty much what it was thousand
or two thousand years ago, and it is
not safe TO trust the average man with
irresponsible authority. If he is not
called to his reckoning, if he feels that
he has at least complete physical SUI
premacy over others, passion flies to
arms when his will is disputed, and
he resorts to the primitive methods of
compulsiCn applied in the old times by
the master to the serf. 1t is a danger
Gus and criminal relation for us to
permit to become established anywhere
among our people Perhaps the wrong
to the party abused is a less serious
feature in the larger view than the
encouragement on the other side to the
growth of a supercilious Indifference
to the rights of others, and the prac-
teal denial of that human equality
which the founders of this government
set themselves to establish.
The necessity of a sterner system of
discipline in the army than any that
prevails in civil life is, of course, &C
knowledged at once. But methods of
punishment are prescribed and limited.
To pass beyond these and to treat a
man as the laws against cruelty to
animals would not permit one to treat
a brute, by dragging him around by
the heels at imminent risk of life and
reason, passes all bounds. A man who
could be guilty of this under any prov
ocation, when there were other meth
DDS Of compelling obedience within his
reach, is not worthy of a place on the
roll of honor occupied by the names
of our army officers. And so a man
who could be guilty of other brutali-
ties, equally open and ineXcusable,
ought not to be invested with author
ity by the state There is an obvious
tendency in many directions in the
United States, with the growth of pop
ulation and of wealth, to relapse into
the ideas and practices of barbarism.
AS far as this stretches toward wreak-
ing anger upon a helpless mans un-
protected body, at least, it should meet
with the sternest condemnation and
the inf1iction of the full penalty of the
law.