The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-20

who fired a revolver bullet into the cheek
Of Ii Hung Chang got only twenty years.
ADEQUATE PUNISHMENT.
The punishment Of criminals will not re-
store human life or compensate sufferers
for the loss of health and happiness. Still,
the vindictive side Of the law is all that can
be appealed TO. There should be no fnical
fastidiousness in taking up this question.
There should be no place for demagogism
in its consideration. 1t is not, and cannot
be, partisan question. As one of the great
family of nations our duty is to execute the
code of international law which regulates
the intercourse of nations with each other.
As Christian and civilized nation we
should not hesitate TO take any action
which would tend To the prevention of hor-
rlbIe crimes against our neighbOrs. II men
are banded together in sworn societies TO
kill and murder any man and We can pre-
vent the preparation Of the crime by timely
action IL Is our duty To do so. The guns OF
all ships are turned against pirates, and all
laws should operate against the men VINO
preach and teach that ii Is desirable ana
right to commit murder. 1t is SCARCELY nee
essary to say that this sentiment should
rise above and be superior 10 any partisan
or individual feeling involving dislike of the
intended victim or disapprobatlon OF the
views he stands for
The assassination of President Mckinley
may also greatly modify the usage IN vogue
in Washington as TO public receptions
Plainly, if all the world is permitted TO pass
by the President and hold his hand there
can be no safety against homlcldal ATTACKS.
1t would be pity TO give up the distinctive
feature of public life, the accoTueu
right of every person on Jan. 1 TO can on
the chief magistrate. No such ceremony en-
lists in any monarchical country ana we
boast of it proof of our repubncdIllSH
The long line of chief magistrates nave
held these receptions.
After all. is it possible for any precaution
TO insure personal safety 10 anybody any
where? individuals cannot always De OF
their guard, but criminals are always on
the watch for an opportunity 10 coHinl'
crime. Everything comes to him VINO waits
and watches. Each day our newspapers
] TEEN with sudden and almost lneNplcaple
Il crimes. Everybody will agree that all pos
sible precautions should be taken to pro
4 tect the chief magistrate, but many per
sons will doubt whether the soldiers anO
guards i'm use by mOnarchS should be lnstl'
tuted into our daily life. Even these auXlll.
4 aries do not insure safety. In emma, loi
instance, the utmost secluSiOn attends the
Il Emperor. He lives in palace In the Gar
Il nation City and is guarded by $500 serV-
Il ants. No other man Is allowed TO i've IL
the palace grounds. From this condlUlOi
i arises his title of the solitary man. ~
\ commences TO receive his officials in audi
/ ence in the middle of the night. or cen
i turtles foreigners never saw his face w mel
I he goes out now, the doors ana WINDOW:
4 of the houses in the streets through WhlcI
u he passes are all closed and the cross
streets are barricaded and hung with drap
1 cries. The foreigners are notlhed not TO dP
pear In the streets on these occasions. NeN'
ertheless all these precautions have proved
4 futile now and then, and the palace ma:
Il sometimes been the scene of violence. Lei
1 Us not hurry to the conclusion that We
must have soldiers. always soldiers, sta
4 toned on guard The effort to be made Il
n prevent such atrocities political asSas
4 sination should be rather in the line or th'
creation of a universal public sentimen
against it.
We live in a day when the lyncher is hon
4 ored and appauded by even good people
4 We cannot fail To recognize that sometime:
a gloss is thrown over crime when we are
antagOnistic to the sufferer, either poht
Cally or otherwise. Let it be openly salC
that his people cannot afford to lynch the
q President s assassin. Let US give the worlC
the highest possible assurance that we rev
i erence the law. The man above all other:
! who would have deprecated resort Il
lynching was Mckinley himself.