Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-30
"oRIME AND CRIMINALS


Rev Philip s. rhacher OF the First
Unitarian Society yesterday delivered
an interesting sermon on Crime and
Criminals which was possibly sug-
gestcd by the recent events that have
so stirred society In this state, During
the course Of his remarks the preacher
decrled capital punishment as being
Inadequate as q deterrent, he then pro-
ceeded to advocate reform methods
Mr. Thatcher said IN part;
This community has been profoundly
shocked BY foul and atroclous muir
der Some have leaped az the conclu.
Sion that the suspected IL the guilty
man. Circumstances are against him,
but, as every man is presumed TO be in
nocent until proved guilty, tair play de-
mands that we suspend judgment In
nocent men have not only been eXecut-
cd on clrcumstantal evidence, but there
have been cases in which the evidences
seemed so irrefutable that innoc Mt
men have believed themselves guilty
and have confessed TO crimes commit
ted by others.
II Is limited that some Of our citl-
zens In their righteous indignation,
have advocated lynching. This design.
If carried out, would make each par
ticipant a murderer. T0llng the law
into ones own hand is so great an
evil and eXcites such destructive PAS
sions, that It should be frowned upon
by all who love good order Mob law
derauges the community, and brings
good government into disgrace, A de-
sire TO punish criminals has turned
saints into demons. and IS fraught with
possibilities of ruin 10 socl ty.
What, or who, is responsible for
criminals ? Parents who allow their
children TO drift into aimless living,
the brutalizlng effects Of war. the in
sane desire for money the low estimate
theology puts on human nature the
dogma of the forgiveness Of sin,
drunkenness oyercrowding r00heries
where every feeling Of dectncy Is eX-
tingulshcd want Of labor the mistaken
Of honest men, strikes, aud the evil
counsels of half~instructed agtators,
the wear and tear Of a struggle IN
which employer and employed are try
ing the solution OF problems not yet
solved. These and a hundred other
causes thrust people, tottering on the
verge over into the abyss Of crime,
What are the remedies? Begin with
children Only per cent Of those who
have been decently educated ever be-
come criminals TO expect from those
who are reared In ignorance anything
else but crime is as absurd as to expect
10 reap wheat from our streets where
the plough has never gone and no seed
planted Keep the children dilieent and
you VIII keep them honest, Prevent
| criminals from propagating their kind
| They have no right TO rear wild men
I and women. No f0ur-footed animal is
so dangerous as that animal which
untes the uncultivated intellect Of a
! man to the uncomfortable passions of a
| beast
Protect the boys from the men fends
who prowl about the streets setting
| traps to catch the unwary, and who
lure them into those little Offices Of
! hell scattered along Commercial street
These resorts are more deadly than
smallpox Each one Is a center Of con-
| taglon, ever in actiyity-of a contagIon
which STAYS with certainty recovery
from which Is almost hopeless,
Reform criminals Here we have
Wild and ferOciOus animals Gagged be-
cause too dangerous TO be at large. and
! then when their appetite for crime has
been whetted instead OF Keeping them
Gagged until tanned, we turn them loose,
rather worse than before
let prisoners have some form Of la
Dor by which they can support those
they have injured. To make them good
will cost something, but not so much
as to keep them bad or make them
worse. Crime is a most expensive lux
ury.
capital punishment Is not a deter
rent. when there We're over 200 Of
lenses for which people were hung, the
penalty ala not deter Others, Death
does not reform the criminal You
simply kill him, which Is Ike curing a
mans toothache by cutting his head
off The potent element In a deterrent
punishment is Its certainty. Hanging
Is the most uncertain Of penalties.
Treat criminals not upon the lowest,
but upon the highest platform Of hui
man feeling Then you win help them
toward grander conquests OF them
selves. In tho worst heart some lovely
grace is found Ike a flower in the
| desert "