The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-01-20

satisfied That when offenses grow ei,or.
nous, ffe1ietit and ,dnngerots to ~ KING
doi1i rsstate destructive on highly peril
OTIS to civilized society and to the great s. y
Insecurity and danger of tho Kin gd az IN
otits lhhdbit atits severe punshtt1e ant, a 7
even death tselfs Is necessary 20 l'c m
nexetl lnws In many cases bythtlc pfu-
idence Of law 81 vers.' i, sSs y N III Il Al
ut ID not necessary to say that TINS IN
powerHhich societ assumes has ~ some ON
ages been grossly abused, and men \ have w
been tnughtcred Upon slight prctext,
sometimes for the spite OF the pleasure
81 a blootlthirsty tyrant. But because la' So
Tits means q OF punishment has been
abused IL no argument against its reason t7ll
nble and right eotis itflction, Those VINO W .
contend that government has no r Fight IN
Ito take human life mist also ndntt t IN
nations have no right to protect them y.
selves nganst, an armed invasion BY slpa y
ing the Invaders, but must allow their Ell
enemies ito triumph over them without,
Resistance. such u contention would 'tl!1 b 's'
absurd It /, must also be admitted, even
sby! those who are opposed TO capital
that ir tho State has III
custody d prisoner and an armed smo % ~
threatens TO tnke the prisoner ava y ana
lynch him. the armed officers OF the s sa
not only have The right, but are III duty
bound to STAY tho mob rather than 60
allow the prisoner To- be taken away ana
executed without law. ..si 81 Il II IA
1t is d perfectly plain proposition, there ''o
fore, that the government has the rg E'll''
to, inlet capital puntst,tt,en as Y means 90:
OF protecting society the only auestlon
being asgtos the circumstances and n man g
mere lis nHlction and as toEit rs efficacy
as deterrent. Strangely enough. l those ''f@
who lre opposed to capital punishment
argue that there are other forms Of pul1-.&$
ishmcnt impre severe. md which would be
more dreaded by would he criminals and and
more effl cacious iii preventing crime. But But
they provo too$much. II the government
has no right to inllct capital punish
Snent ! would seem, surcly that It has
no right to inhletB punishment 5whiicl1l5$Sis'
even worse than DEATH On the other
hand, III Is tho experience OF the most ''st
enlightened Nations that there is n 9 pun
tishment Which men drend as they dread
the gallows, and tina tt$r1o punishment is&
as efTlcaclous as capital punishment TO
prevent murder and other crimes Of that
degree England has reduced the NUM-
Der Of capital offenses to two--those Of Of
treason and murder. But With all the
reforms which havo come, she la $ y not
found it %cxpedient to abolish the death
penalty, nor has France or VI Germany
or Austria or any Of the great Tons
OF the GARTH Some OF the smaller ma
lions abolished 1t, notably Switzerland;
but IL was necessary to restore It in some
,of{thc cantons8 Of that country.
q Capital punishment, has been abolished
in two or three Of II the States Of this! this
Union. Iowa abollshed i 7 in 1874 tut Y
was restored In. 1878, the inrgument how ".
Ing from thesrecord that during tbs Pc ,-;
Rod or ITS abolition crimes OF violence had q,
largely increased. "a CIV York also tried it'e
the experiment, but,was compelled u / +. to-
restore capital punishment, and in 1883: 1888
.oracted a;law substituting Sdea by elec--E
itrcty for hanging. IA 81 Il f
Belt remembered that this punishment
is not inflicted in spirit OF mall ciouIs re-t
vcnge, but for the purpose OF preyeen''ttiln' g
such crimes as that Of which 'NIccu 10
stands accused. r. It had 4 been discovered
that the abolition OF lie death penalty
and tho substitution Of other forms Of
would tend to prevent rather
than TO promote murder, and other CAPT ~
tai crimes. christiunizod society would
long since have abolished IT.. But expe-a
renee teaches otherwise. and hence ~ It I
is that in Virginia we adhere to the law
which was delivered to Noah. tina Who O.
SO sheddeth mans blood by man shall
his blood be shed .''as n, Il 3 M +. 4
sg=-=---=------.- M
Investigating Cortelyou,