The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-02
Denounced Crime and sentimentality

The Free Press admires the position
taken by Andrew ID. White, who deliver
ed vigorous address on Saturday be-
fore the students of Cornell university.
His theme was on the problems of high
crime in the United States and among
other things Mr.. White said that "sim-
ply as matter of fact, the United
States is, among all civilized nations of
the world, country in which the crime
of murder is most frequently committed
and less frequently punished.
death by violence is increasing rap
idly. Our record is now larger than
any other country in the world. The
number of homicides that are punished
by linching exceeds the number punish
ed by due process of law. There is
nothing more nonsensical or ridiculous
than the goody-goody talk about lynch
ing. Much may be said in favor of
Goodwin Smiths quotation that There
are communities in which lynch law is
better than any other
"There is too much overweight SEN
timentality in favor of the criminal. The
young ward tough looks up with add
miration to local politicians who have
spent part of their life in states prison.
Three great leaders of Tammany Hall
up to recent years were men who be-
came acquitted while lying in the Tombs
on the charge of murder.
Germs of maudlin sentimentality are
widespread. On every hand we hear
Shiny, mushy expressions of sympathy
for the crime called 'plucky,' 'nervy,'
fighting against fearful odds for his
life.'
at is said that society has no right
to put murderers to death. In my
opinion, society must fall back on the
law of self-preservation. 1t should cut
through and make war, in my opinion,
for it's life. Life Imprisonment is not
possible. because there is no life i'm
prisonment.
"In the next year 5000 people will be
murdered. AS 1 stand here today l
tell you that 1900 are doomed to death,
with all the cruelty of the criminal
heart and with no regard for home and
families, and two-thirds will be due to
the maudlin sentiment sometimes call
ed mercy.
"This sham humanitarianism has be-
come stencil. The cry now is for
righteousness. The past generation has
abolished human slavery. 1t is for the
present to deal with the problems of the
future, and, among them, this problem
of crime. Young men, like Jerome, like
Polk and Hughes, resolve never to be
servants of criminals, but to do your
best to punish crime as it should be
punished"
Mr.. Whites attitude toward the
question of crime and those who are
permeated with sickly sentimentality
is in line with the position which has
been taken by this newspaper. The
Free Press is pleased to have the en-
dorsement of such an eminent gentle
man as Mr.. White.
Coming on the heels of Governor
Johnson's suggestion that capital pun
ishment in Minnesota be abolished, Mr..
Whites forceful remarks are certain
ly refreshing. One great trouble with
this country is that it has among its
population a number of wellmeaning
but misguided people who really ought
to organize and incorporate under the
name of the Society for the Prevention
of the Proper Punishment of Criminals"
There should be a union of the tender
hearts that 60 out to cold blooded MUIR
derers.
The present action of the attorneys
who defended the bigamist and murder,
er, Hoch, in Chicago, is disgusting and
farcial and it is assisting to increase
the already whirlwind OF crime in that
sity. A few lynchings in Chicago might
have tendency to clear the atmosphere
and rid that afflicted community of a
bad lot or criminals.