The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-10
r1,1,SaIs AND CIVILIZATION.

TERMINALS AND CIVILIZATION.
The pessinist is always talking about
.he ffecadence of modern society and in
proof of his melancholy views he 20 nts
20 some great tower Of human strength
that has stood out Ike bold mountain
amidst the surrounding blankness of
some age in days gone BY. and forg ting
what s being done to-day by less cor
.n<lIs,;,s. but no less Efficient workers. the
oessim;st cri : out that human initiative
is q ting CT the past, and that mankind
is steadily retrogradins- We have no
tine to argue this case ly citing iiiiT dual
instances of the great m n o. the latter
eoart of the nineteenth century as COM
nared with the great men of any 9th T
country. We do rot think that c,viiiza-
ZION and l21p!ness. that widespread
,aaee and comfort are 10 be iudg d by the
extraordinary efforts and developments
of individuals. Perhaps our day ana
generation has prod.c d no missionary
/ that begun to equal the power ana
strength Ct St. Francis Navizr- Nor
preacher who equalled savonaroa- W
have had no law-giver like Scion and no
philosopher like Socrates. but there has
y yer been a time The history OF the
world when humanity at large has Ell
loved so full measure OF life as in the
md of this desg:sed and retrogradins n
;u,v. 1t seems to us that in nothing
ines the effort ard aspiration of our
civilization show forth better than in the
..ttitud1 which ii keeps toward criminals.
1t is rot so long ago that those afflicted
in Their reason We're regarded as tie pet
subjects OF the d Vii, were beaten. starved
and maitreated with no conception on the
.,.rt of the governing community of What
wrong and misery this course OF action
vas working The criminal is one Who
may or may not owe his character IN
life 10 causes beyond his control. There
are criminals without doubt who have
hearts which arr "deceitful above all
things and desperately wicked. For
such the straight jacket, solitary confine-
.nent or the utmost rigor of the law IS 10
b. meted out. But there are others, ana
weaker, who from causes b You'd their
control haze been led into a course of ac-
ton from which they can b. rescued II
only proper means are used. and 1t IS the
glory Of this age that a large and grow
ing class Of intelligent citizens ana OF
Gcials are giving their life and energies TO
discovering what can be done TO save
those in whom there is any spark LETT
which may be famed into a flame OF seaf-
sustaining manhood.~ The United States
Government has recently published a
book on tn, legislation concerning crimes,
,nisGenearors and pe:altids. The object
OF this book is to show what IS Regarded
by the various stats of to-day as the
best method of preventing crimes against
the community II is step IN the right
direction. and it cannot fail to stimulate
= further and healthy inquiry into this
subject which lies 50 rear to our develop
,oent. If half of the money that IS
westsd in chasing down criminals cou2d be
snen. in caring for the mccoy, anu help
ing III. worthy TO help themselves. an
enormous amount of human suffering
would he wiped out Of existence. The
best way to stop chasing criminals is 10
TAX. away the causes that produce them.
and this is The work which contents ths
cr.mInolog.sts of to-day. which is large
word for a humanitarian whose work is
;lp,,,ied 10 The criminal classes. The
best h,lsbandry of all said Grattan, is
| the husbandry of human creatures.