Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-11-27
CRIME AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS.
A Paper Read by Wesley Huff, Before the
Mems Social Science Club, Monday Night.

We have up for discussion, tonight "Crime
and Social Conditions.
Webster defines crime 70 be "Any violation
OF law, either Divine or human; an omission
of duty commanded, or any aggravated Of
fense against morality or the public welfare"
We are told that, in the beginning, God
created the heavens, the earth, man and
subtle beast-tie serpent
With the advent OF man and this serpent ap.
pears crime. Adams association with this
serpent led to the commission of the first crime
recorded. This gives us the origin and the
age of crime.
There are many who believe that this ser
pent has kept pace with and been the constant
companion of the human race, from Adam to
the present time, and is still active in the affairs
of man. This may account for crimes of the
past. l don't think it does for the crimes of
to-day. But, without regard to the cause, his.
tory, sacred and profane, tells us of little more
than one unbroken chain of crime-man's in
humanity to man.
Now we hav. traced crime from its begin
ming. We will row look at crime as it appears
under our present civilization.
Our prlsons national, state, county and mu-
nicipal, with their tens of thousands of unfor-
tunate mortals doing time for crimes ranging
from petit larceny to train. .robbing; from pick
ing pockets to defiuting; from assault to MUIR
der, give us rather sad picture of society
to-day.
+. But these are not all the criminals. Look at
our postal department-but little less than a
den OF thieves. Look at the perjured villains
in the St. Louis city council. Look at the
crimes i'll the Missouri legislature. Look at
the grafters in Kansas stuAing pay rolls. Take
your pencil, jot down the crimes you see in
your daily paper for one week, and see if it
does not astonish you.
All the crimes have referred to exist in the
society of to-day, and are only the surface
flow. The under.tow is infinitely worse, but
we cannot see it, This criminal condition. is
sad commentary on our Christian civilization.
Now, the burning question is, What is the
root cause of these criminal conditions? Many
believe in The snake theory of crime; others in
the total-depravity theory as the cause. Neither
theory is correct. No man was ever influenced
by serpent to commit crime, nor was any
man ever totally depraved.
When child comes into this world, it is
neither good or bad. 1t knows nothing. 1t is
not even conscious of its existence. Now,
wrapped up in this little body is the possible
future man. The futute man, for good or bad,
depends upon certain conditions. Send that
child into the slun,s OF the city, surrounded by
poverty and crime, half-fed, half-clothed, poor
ly housed. Wh,t's your product? criminal
to a finish--a vertable Arab of the desert and
robber of the rock. Now reverse the condi-
tions Educate, feed, clothe and house to his
natural wants; then give him an equal chance
to maintain life Now what is your product?
A law. abiding citizen. So, man, good or bad,
is the product of social conditions, This fact
leads me to the declaration that social condi-
[Concluded on editorial page]