The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-20
THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 90 1902

cannot help feeling that the moment
one believes in the scientific study OF
the criminal, one should also be Will
ing to abide by the results of the inves-
tigations and take them as his guide To
action. But one point all the specialists
agree with Mr. Darrow's conclusions
that punishment as meted out by so.
ciety Is little better than useless ana
often Is itself criminal.
one of the characteristics Of the au-
thor is to overstate actual condltions
in order to give a bold prospective 10
his position. Take the following ex-
amples. mature, unaided by man
laws, can evolve social ORDER; 10
punish q human being simply because
he has committed wrongful act, -
ds) more detestable and harmful than
any casual isolated crime" I'VE hang
and pen these unfortunates (criminais)
because they have grown as tall, as
large. mr. as symmetrical as the ordinary
man" "In the judgment of the courts
the betrayer is rewarded, the man OF
chara cter and. worth condemned" 'The
largest part of what is used In daily
life is controlled by combinations whose
sole purpose is eXtortion." All our
merchants and tradesmen franticaliy
call out their lies in every form that
they may sell their wares for larger
price than they are really wortd.' 10
the lust all souls are really white.
"Blood and misery and degradation has
marked the administration of punish
ment." ut is simple madness that
doubts the justice of past condemna-
tion and believes in the righteous judg-
80
of exaggerated statements found in the
book which startle and irritate anu yet
add zest to the work.
The optimism of the author is worthy
of admiration. AS a lawyer he has seen
much OF the seamy side or lite' anu yet
the keynote of his book is the inalien-
able worth of man and the criminal 10
him is q man in whom burns the di-
vine spark and which is capable OF De-
ing reclaimed and saved II properly
treated by love and sympathy. mo
heart is so pure that 1t may not oe
defiled and hardened by cruelty, hatred
and force, and none so defiled that IL
may not be touched and changed py
gentleness and love-"
According to Mr.. Darrow. society is
largely responsible for the criminal.
This Is very true and every student OF
crime agrees with the author in his
statement, but, as in every other de-
partment Of life, there are classes or
criminals, vet the author makes no at
tempt at classification. The Importance
of such a classification has long been
shown by Ferri and Colajanni. The po-
litical criminal may, as Benedict said,
he the homo nobilis, but this type Is
very far removed from the instructive
criminal, which Is a moral monster. In
the one class we place the Christ; in
the other such monsters as Cagliostro,
Lacenaire. Burke, Wainewright, etc:
Between these two extremes stand the
criminal by passion and the insane
criminal Each of these classes re-
uuires distinct treatment and the ap-
plication of one specific treatment to all
is condemned both by science and rea-
son. AS far as society is responsible for
crime, it behooves all to cooperate IN
removing the obstacles in the way; but
they are criminals by instinct. Lonl-
broso has called them born crimin-
ais" Against this class uncomprOmis-
ing hostility is cherished by every
healthy soul and the gospel of non-re-
sistance will find few advocates as long
as this brood traverses the earth.
Resist Not Evil'' is well worth read
ing and every student of society will
find in it much that Is of interest and
true worth, however much he may diff
fer from the author on the main thesis
of the work, the futility of Furnishing
crime in any form. Peter Roberts