The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-10
ARE FACING AN
ERA OF ANARCHY
CRIME RECORDS APPALLING.
REV. w. p. M'CoRKLE ON THE
"HoMICIDAL MANIA"

statistics which He Presented
showed an Appalling Excess of
Crime in the United states over
All other C0untfies-Rhee Preju-
diccs and Foreign Influx Not the
Causes, He saId-Greatest Ratio OF
Homicides in NeVadn-Canada,
where Laws Are Most Stringent,
Has Fewest Numbers.
"Homicidal Mania was the text of
Rev. w. P. McCorkle's discourse at
the First Presbyterian Church last
night DR.. McCorkle presented an ar
ray of appalling statistics showing
that the percentage of crime in the
United States is many times larger
than that in any civilized country
The pastor took for his text 1.-The
murderer she'll surely be put to DEATH,
and verses from the Book of Numbers.
In speaking OF the alarming prevail
ence of crime DR.. McCork1e said he
did not surrender his theory of the
optimism of faith. I'VE have fallen
among evil times he said. 1.-The
facts that are being made public are
such as to make applicable the words
of the psalmist in view OF the present
epidemic in our United States Thou
rnakest us reproach to our neigh
bors.'
1T is now as it was when the
erophet saw the blood flow from the
heart of one murdered man and join
the blood from another. We are a
very boastful people. We think this
the greatest country. We are proud
of our great institutions, of the mag
nificent growth of the commonwealth
and the church, of the stability of our
government and free institutions. And
yet, in the face of all this, of all civil
lied countries, the United States stand
in the forefront of crime. Never in
xhe history of the world have such
Robbers, under the guise of the law and
our public rulers, been so monstrous
and brazen. But recently a leading
magazine printed in cold type story
of the most outrageous robberles of the
very bread from the laboring man S
mouth ever heard Of and which is
now going on, The guilty ones, when
confronted with their crimes, snap
their fingers in the faces of the ac-
cusers. 1t is not strange that men of
science advance the theory that we
are at the low ebb of a retrogade
movement in society, that by some
strange Judgment of God we are re-
verting to the original type. The
beast in humanity is more in evidence
now than it has ever BEEN
DR.. McCorkle quoted figures show
ing the yearly percentages OF increase
in crime since 1860. These figures, he
said are appalling, and that anarchy
stares US in the face Unless crime is
checked. The world, he said, is amaz-
ed by the number of homicides here
The number of homlcldes, according
to statistics quoted by him in the civ
ilized countries per million inhabitants
were as follows during last year
Germany, a fraction less than 5; Eng
land. a fraction over 10; France, Ia
Belgium, %. and the United States
129 9-10. Many causes have been as.
signed for this. The influx of foreign.
ers is one, but statistics prove thai
this is not SO. Claims that the col
ofed population is a reason, but this
also proves to be untrue. In Nevada
Where there are only 1874 negroes, thu
homicide ratio is the largest of any o
the states. and homicides are not ;
matter of race prejudice. we of tn,
South" he said, have cause to ham
our heads in shame"
Like all moral phenomenas this haa
moral cause. II is not q matter o
climate, but of training. Put the RICH
Kind OF thoughts into the minds o
the young. Statistics show that Grim
is greatest in the more sparsely set
tied sections, where churches are few
est. Religious and moral training
needed. Education is not the remedy
Educate the mind without educatin
the heart and you have an educate
beast.
"1rhe Bible should be read more gen
orally and with better understandin
in our public schools In many IN
stances where the reading is perfume
tory some comments are neceesar
to the good to be derived. We shout
apply the remedy at home.
As causes for the epidemic of Grim,
Dr. McCorkle assigned the follow
inRl Leniency of the laws, it beln
shown that the percentage Of crime /
Canada Is less than any other cour
try In the world, ana the
seven-elghts Of those indicted Il
homicide are executed; he ais
charged It the sensational pres
to the jury system, where the majorii
was not allowed to decide In d uni
unanimous verdict being necessar!
in the jury lists where men were pl
Off who favored the upholding ar
strict enforcement Of the law such
had been done right here in Savannah
lawyers who stoop TO the technicalti
OF the law timidty of juries; lehlent
OF Judges and the abuse OF the pa
don power, especially as exercised
the cases OF negroes. Rev. McCork
charged that the unjust partiality WI
shown whites over colored people WI
did not hEVe the influence that the
white bretheren did.
TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY