Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-03
THE CAT-C .NiNE TAILS AS A
MORAL FORCE.

A committee of Congregationalists Of
Connecticut has reached certain con-
illusions as to the best mode of dealing
with criminals that nre In line with the
talk of reviving the whipping post.
which is heard periodically. The views
OF the committee, which are said to
have been formulated by o judge. are
as follows:
THAT the law should provide for
moderate whipping. administered in
private, as 81 mode of punishment to
which Juvenile offenders may pe SEN
fenced for petty offenses in lieu OF i'm
prisonment.
THAT the whipping is also an appro-
pirate mode of punishment for the
ruffian class.
THAT fines can, in many cases, be
better worked out by outside labor
under suitable supervision than by la
Dor in Jail.
THAT the efficiency of our police and
Justice courts could be increased by
the employment of probation officers
from whom the court might ask infor-
nation. and who would keep watch of
any who might be released under pro-
vistonal suspension OF sentence.
THAT habitual and incorrigible
offenses, become thereby subject to the
right of the State to restrain their
liberty for the remainder of their lives,
and to take such measures as will eff
fectually cut them off from further OPP
portunities OF doing mischief to the
community. as we'll as from perpetual
ing their kind in unhappy offspring.
THAT the laws of this State need
such amendment as will serve the ends
above stated
This is taking what may be called
advanced ground in some particulars.
even though the committee advises a
return to whipping ais punishment
for and deterrent of crime. Undoubted-
ly for juvenile offenders. whipping Is
better than Imprisonment, and is some
times permitted where 1t is not q legal
lied mode of punishment, though the
parents. instead of an officer of the
law. always administers the whipping
in such case. There is also no reason
to doubt that in dealing with the "ruf-
fan class" serviceable lash, well
laid on, would have much more
wholesome effect than fines and i'm
prisonment. It is class that is grow
ing both in numbers and obnoxious
ness in the cities, and constitutes with
In itself one of the knottiest problems
with which the sociologist and law
maker has to deal. A little whipping
here could hardly be amiss, on general
principles.
The question of confning habltual
wrong-doers for life, where the offenses
are petty, raises q much more serious
question. Hitherto. this sentence has
been passed only on those whose crimes
are OF the next to the grnvest sort
The man who just escapes the gallows
is sent TO prison for lie. Shall the man
who is repeatedly UP for petty offenses
be put In the same category as The man
who is guilty OF one very grave offense?
That is the question that the proposi-
ton gives rise to. While it hardly
appeals to our sense of 1ustice,it is log
ically difficult to avoid the conclusion
that.if men arc confined because they
are menace to society. the repetition
OF small offenses may show that the
perpetrator Is a constant menace. and
therefore should be permanently locked
up. In the end, 1t must be admitted
by all believers in heredity, this would
tend to stamp out crime.