Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-01-05
More Urgent and Vital.


Z, ment in this state, II would like 10 have
this question decided: (Which Is worst
i. as n place OF punishment, Hades or
:. Windsor'-Poultney journal.
: Since such decision must be hypothet.
< zeal owing TO uncertain and unreliable
,, connections with Hades, the Journal
will have to be content with low ground
ON which to meet its opponents in the
death penalty fray. Lofty ground is
hardly necessary anyway, in a matter
which is purely one of self-proteetion,
provided a broad view, embracing the
present and future welfare of all con.
cerned, is secured
We are unable TO see what conditions
at either of the two places "of punish.
ment y named have to do with the ques.
ton of the ACCESSIBILITY of capital pun.
ishment for Vermont. We certainly |
should not kill people that they may es-
cape the horrors of Windsor; neither
should we spare them because they
would presumably suffer more there
than in Hades. The question of capital
punishment affects the fates of only
few of the state s criminals-the first
degree murderers-and is more largely
matter of concern as to the public con
science and conception of duty than one
of material concern to the condemned. {
The worldly career of the latter is
closed from all avenues of usefulness
with the conviction of cruel, premedi- {
tated murder What can life hold for d
him who has forfeited his lifelong right ?
to the oompanionship and confidence, II
,ven in prison, of his fellow men? u
Nothing but a monotonous round of eat. o.
ng, working, sleeping u
As to the spiritual welfare of first de- N
gree murderers, it will always be a ~
question with thoughtful men and wo.
men whether il is better, and therefore
Under, to send the erring soul at once w
meet just judgment and merciful, cd
ecause omniscient, punishment than to to
lbject it to the doubtful influences of al
rison life in a world where it must al tn
avs be classed with the most dangerous wi
nd untrustworthy. at,
The question of whether or not we can mi
and with self.respect rel
Ike human life as a penalty for any sis
line we must settle for ourselves-as to
are sometimes called upon to do sol
nckly when burglar breaks into our vat
uses and we catch him at our money cha
silver. After this is settled. atten- wit
m should be given to general effects goo
on society in the way of protection evil
d discipline. -,
Opponents of capital punishment
y, however, very properly consider, zoo,
en- they accuse the supporters of that Wv
lalty of cruelty and barbarism.
ether they and all the other voters 49,,
Vermont have not been guilty and -'''
not still guilty of worse barbaritv 'o"'
the way they treat the state s pris- WV
RS at Rutland and Windsor. Such .'l'
conviction orrht % nan,114 :: impe
and cooperation for real advance -
It. can
rison conditions have little to do
1 the question of the abolition of the
ii penalty in Vermont: But they "
much to do with our responsibility ~ ~
the lives and souls of the prisoners "''''
m we hold for years or for life in i' ,n "'
prisons; they have much to do with 'o'0
of our citizenship, in both
higher and lower walks of life; they 'o'"
much to do with our own titles to "
ritv in tbo Cbrist;on hna,o~:4, s the pr
,ss to have attained. 10 no'
lson conditions and capital punish P'''0A
are two different subjects. If we rho
1T successfully grapple with both oron
same time, the former, as the more ,,or;r,
It and vital, should receive first at. Ioo;a,e
is, perhaps, what the rooo;,,
' press