Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-01-05
INCREASE OF CRIME.

again suffering from wave OF crime
For the year 1909 there were nearl!
1000 more homicldes than In the pre-
ceding twelve months, when 1885 wer
recorded. Suicides also reached abou
| 1000 more than were recorded for IN
preceding year Pistol and poison
were as usual the commonest agencle
Of self destruction, two-thlrds OF al
the suicides having ended their trou
bles by those means. Carbolio acid
which can be obtained anywhere By
anybody, was the poison most frequent
ly employed. AS to causes despon'
dency, not always easily to be- distin
gulshed from insanity, was that mos
generally assigned. A large Increase u
attributed to disappointment in love
and still larger one 70 domestic IN
happiness. Only sixty-seven are TO b
charged to business failures. II is no
tlced that about four times as many
men ms women destroy themselves IN
this way.
There seems 10 have been twenty-one
less Iyuch!ngs the pas, year than the
preceding year. and this IS satisfactory
provided the decrease can be main
talned.
There IS a marked Increase Of killing
by burglars and hishNsymen. showing
decreased regard foy human life among
that class Of iousAs. They are respon-
sible for no less than Ssa murders last
year. as against isl IN isal The per
ceniAge Of Increase from this cause is
the larses, in the list
An interesting question Is that which
relates to the cause OF such an incrsase
Of violent crime In the country. At one
time It was argued that the depressed
times caused poverty and suffering
among the people, and that 50 many
were driven to a criminal career, be-
cause there was no way OF earning an
honest living for all But this line Of
argument must now be abandoned.
Poverty may present strong tempta-
tons, but It Is doubtful whether II
alone Is responsible for single mis-
deed Of very serious nature. II Is
now clear that crimes increase in times
OF prosperity as wen as adversely, The
criminal waves rise and fall, regard.
less Of the times.
Dr. Arthur Mcdonald, specialist in
the United States bureau Of education
has his explanation TO offer on the
question of the causes that are respon-
sible for the increase in suicides, In
sanity and other forms Of abnormality,
In his report TO Congress on these sub
jects, he argues that one cause Is the
rapid development OF society. There
are great many labor saving lnyen-
tions that cause people 10 exercise less
and think more. This, he says, puts an
abnormal strain on the nervous sys-
tenn as compared with the muscular
system. States having the greatest In
telligence and education. DR.. MacDou-
aid says, also exceed In insanity, sui
eide. juvenile criminals, nervous dis
eases and paupers.
Anothercause is over-eatlng,he thinks.
on this subject he states that the de-
creased cost OF living and the Increase
Of wealth, with the luxuries Of the ta-
bles have tended to oyer-eating, which,
in connection with the lack Of exercise
has It's evident effects and doubtless
produced an additional reaction of the
nervous system. When the nerves are
unstrung by oyerpressure the will may
become weak. depression and pessimism
set In and loss OF self control follow
with It's consequent abnormal actions
leading It to crime and other serious
evils In the statistics Of crime some
special points may be noted. The youth
as compared with adults have COM
mitted more crimes as society has
developed. Suicide among children has
greatly increased this might be re-
garded as a symptom OF disease pre-
cociousness. Eat meat and potatoes"
continues DR.. Macdonald, cor you may
become a criminal
Another cause Is. he thinks, the
rapid development OF women by enter.
ing into the work OF man. He says;
"The recent rapid development Of wo-
man by entering more and more into
the work Of man, a transition involving
great strain. seems to have some un-
welcome aocompaniments. In Vienna
FOR instance, general paralysis a mans
disease, Is increasing among women. In
Belgium insanity and suicide have been
growing relatively faster IN women
than IN men. In Austria II has been
found that the criminal influx into cities
is relatively greater In women than In
men. and the effect of heredity is
greater upon women than upon men.
II we shake the tree the bad apples
fall first. SO In periods Of rush and
strain the weaknesses OF human nature
become more apparent But this In
crease In evil may be only temporary
one due 20 the necessary pressure OF
adaptability TO modern civilization"
DR. Macdonald does not believe that
the world Is growing worse. though
He observes that the world does not
grow better "in straight line up
wards" There are periods OF depres.
sion as well as Of progress. And this
is true, But the depression has some-
times swept away nations and over
thrown governments. Generally speak
ing, the world is progressing, but in
dividuals and nations sometimes be-
come lost in the waves OF destruction.
At night Salt Lake City lives in the
dark ages.