Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-11
Stone Pile VS.. Whipping Post.

TO the Editor of The Star:
While l think the whipping post would
be very just punishment not only for
wife beating, but for many other offenses
of daily occurrence, the punishment sug-
gested in the cartoon in The Star of the
9TH l consider decidedly preferable
Many of the arguments against the whip
ping post l consider of little or no force. I
saw the public whipping of men for theft
as applied in California in 1919, prior to the
organization of the state government, while
the laws of Mexico were still in force and
the alcaldes had jurisdiction in both civil
and criminal affairs and can testify that
IL proved most effective means of sup
pressing crime and Kidding the community
OF criminals. Americans held the positions
of alcalde and sheriff at Suffers Mill or
Coloma, where l then was and no one OBJ
Jected to the application of the whip and
the further punishment of working on the
street with ball and chain attached to
prevent escape, and the expulsion of the
criminals from the county at the expira-
ton of their terms of labor under penalty
OF second whipping with double the num-
Der of laSheS.
As can readily be imagined they never
failed to make tracks the moment they
were released and the result was that there
was far less crime of all kinds there than
there Is today here IN the capital of the
nation.
At the same time, I would by all means
prefer the adoption of imprisonment at
hard labor and the payment of a reasonable
wage to be given to the family for its sup
port during his term of confinement That
is a plan that l have advocated for wears
not only for wife beating. but for theft
housebreaking, robbery and similar crimes
And in cases where the criminal has no
family the wages of the criminal should
be paid to those who suffered by the crime
There is no sense or reason In sending
these criminals TO jail to be supported
the idleness by the community that has been
the victims of their crimes. Our Jail is
hlied the year round with thieves house
breakers, pocket-book snatchers and the
like, many of whom are far more comfort
ably provided for than at their own homes
as has been shown time and again by their
admission that they committed the theft
for the purpose of being sent to jail where
they would have good food and warm win
ter quarters.
l would apply the same rule to all tramps :
who have grown to enormous numbers
throughout the land, and who not only get
their living from the public free but who
commit all sorts of outrages, assaultng
women, burning buildings. derailing trains
and the like. Every one of them should
be arrested and set to work breaking stone
and building good roads, one of the prime
needs of the country.
One great reason for the prevalence and
increase of crime throughout the country
is that crime is not properly punished: and
much OF that arises from the DELAY In our
courts and the letting of the criminals off
on mere technicalities In the pleadings
raised by the criminal lawyers, who al
though they have taken an oath to help
the court administer justice devote all
their efforts to prevent the administration
of justice.
In no other civilized nation is crime more
prevalent. and in none is the escape from
punishment so certain as in the United
states.
'1ris true. and pity It's It's true"
w. c. DODGE.