New-York tribune., 1906-11-25
PLAN TO ABOLISH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

period of fifteen years the number OF convic-
tions for crimes of this character amounted to
2.62s. Yet. owing to the number of recommen-
dations to mercy the part of juries which
have permitted the court to impose imprison-
ment instead Of death, and to the equally large
number of death sentences commuted by the
President Of the republic, there have been
throughout that time only sixty-eight persons
consigned TO the guillotine. In fact. executions
have become so few and far between that
the government. deferring in the matter TO pop
ular sentiment in France, has determined to
abolish capital punishment. the sanction OF the
legislature being already assured in advance.
1t is purposed substitute for the death penalty
perpetual imprisonment. the first six years OF
which are 10 be spent in solitary confinement.
In the event of of these life prisoners render
Ing himself guilty while in jail of some further
crime of serious character such as an attack
upon a prison official the murder of fellow
convict, he may be kept in solitary confinement
for life. but only after being further sentenced
by the courts Women convicted of murder and
who are about TO become mothers are not TO be
consigned TO solitary imprisonment until after
the birth of the child.
1t remains to be what Will be the effect
of this reform instituted by the French gov
ernment upon the statistics of crime. con-
the principal police authorities and prison gov
ernOrs IN France is to the effect that murderers
stand far more in dread OF solitary cell con-
finement than of the guillotine People accus-
toned to taking lightly the lives of others
and 10 risking their each occasion are
rarely afraid OF the scaffold. They know that
it will be all over in minute. and that 1t Is
preferable TO a slow and lingering death result
ing from injury disease. But they
dread above everything else solitary confne-
ment and imprisonment IN cells without any
with whom to converse. and. above all. with
out any occupation. Sooner than this form OF
punishment. continued throughout term OF six
long years. they prefer death. and under the
circumstances II is anticipated that the new, law
will act as deterrent of homicidal crimes.
Whether this expectation Is likely to be realized
is matter of pure speculation. For II Is diff
cult to base any argument upon comparisons
with other countries. where the entirely different
temperament of the people has to be taken into
consideration. Thus. crimes OF violence areNal-
ways more frequent in Southern chimes. where
the blood is hotter and the passions more unruly
than In the more sober North IT has been
pointed out. for instance. that IN Italy the
age number OF murders in single year IS
nearly four thousand-that is to say, nearly
eleven day-which is certainly startling fis-
ure, and which many have been disposed to
ascribe TO the abolition OF capital punishment.
But prior to the latter the number OF deaths by
violence was even larger, fact which the advo-
Gates of capital punishment find 1t convenient to
forget Moreover, the average Is almost as large
in Spain, where executions are moro frequent
than in any other country in Europe.
1t may be questioned. indeed whether the
death penalty is ever really a deterrent OF
crime, especially in those civilized countries
where the dictates OF humanity and popular
sentiment require the punishment TO be inflicted
with the least possible physical pain and delay
In the Orient. assuredly, it is without efficacy
| In that respect. The various creeds OF the
Last have the effect OF removing from the
minds Of their followers all fear OF death. to
many OF whom II means the release from the
sufferings and miseries of life here below and
the enjoyment of pleasures not merely celestial
but material, such as the paradise of houris re-
served for the hereafter OF all true Moslems
sidered IL necessary TO devise tortures OF more
or less ingeniously cruel character as efflcacous
punishments In Persia. for instance a man
VINO would go Cheerfully to the gallows is filled
with dread at the idea OF that particular pen-
atty which consists in pluuging him up to the
neck In a pit hlled With gypsum; and whereas
the Chinaman is relatively indifferent To mere
decapitation. he loses his lmperturbability when
confronted with that terrible punishment which
consists In being slowly and gradually sliced To