The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-20
THE PUNISHMENT FITS THE CRIME.

1t was stated in our dispatches yester-
day that President Mckinley would not
interefer in the execution of the death
penalty upon two soldiers who have been
convicted by courtmartial of criminal as
sault upon Filipino women. Gen. Otis has
recommended that the men be shot in pub
lie. The proceedings of the courtmartial
will be reviewed by the military authorl-
ties, and if the proceedings are found to
be regular, the extreme penalty of military
law will be inflicted for the first time
since the beginning of the war with Spain.
In the Articles of War it is provided
article So that'"in time of war insur-
rection or rebellion, larceny, robbery burg
larry, arson, mansIaughter. assault and bat
terry with intent to kill, rape or assault
and battery with intent TO commit rape,
shall be punished by the sentence of a gen
eral courtmartial when committed by per-
sons in the military service of the United
States, and the punishment in any such
case shall not be less than the punishment
provided for like ofenses by the laws of
the state, territory or district in which
offense may have been committed" The
Philippines are not a present either state.
territory or district of the United States,
hence there is no local law 10 govern the
sentence. But the authority of the mill
tary court is compete. and that the SEN
ence of death is the only adequate one
for the crime in question is abundantiy
testified to by the statute laws of nearly
every state in this union and the over
whelming majority of American pubic
opinion. This crime, which is regarded as
one of the most heinous in the whole cata-
| logue, is so hateful that when it is
committed the law respecting men of our
own race and country often decline to toll
erdte the existence Of the perpetrator until
such time as the courts shall examine inio
the affair, and lynch law is called into
play. In view of this well known public
sentiment respecting such outrages, 1t is
! not in The least likely that the execution Of
the two soldiers if they have been regu-
iarly found guilty upon conclusive evj-
dence, would be followed by adverse crlti-
cism in this country.
Aside from the justice of such punish
ment for the crime charged and the moral
effect which pubic execution would have
upon the army, there is another and val
liable consideration to be taken into ac-
count-the moral effect upon the Filipinos
We have told them that we wish to treat
them justly and fairly, and give their
country good government, enlightenment
and civilization. How could they believe
any such statement if our soldiers were
10 be permitted to assault their women
and go unwhipped of justice? What would
the civilized world say if we perm tied
our uniformed men TO practice the worst
features of barbarian warfare in a con-
nict which had its beginning in war for
humanity's sake? on the other hand, the
prompt and severe punishment of the
soldiers guilty of the atrocity referred TO
would be taken by the Filpinos as evil
dence that the United States can and viii
protect them, and that American occu-
pancy of the Islands does not mean license
for white men TO invade the rights or
attack the persons of the natives.