Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-03-02
Criminals Of the Future.

IL 10 uIulCuil W lOIclell Juo future,
especially when it concerns questions
which are so close to ourselves, for
memo prOpheta in domo sua," and
should indeed never dare speak Of
criminals of the future even in the
most general manner were it not for
the fact that my ideas concerning
criminals had been recognized in near
ly all civilized countries. especially
ir England and Australia.
am especially grateful to DR.. Cogh.
Ian and the Australian and English
governments, who. being less narrow
minded than the authorities of most
European countries, presented me with
copy of the official Australian Rog-
ues Gallery and criminal records.
From the experiments made by the
English and Australian authorities
am able to draw many valuable con
illusions and though | am well aware
that my statements will arouse much
criticism, | shall, nevertheless, not re-
main silent, because | consider it a
duty of every man to do his best to-
ward the humiliation of social dan
gers.
From the reports it appears that
crimes in Australia decrease in both
number and seriousness. In spite of
the size of the population, which has
almost been doubled. and the charac-
tei of the immigrants continually flow
ing into the country. which mas in
creased from 100, 500 in 1889 to 141 900
in 1898, swindles, forgery and arson
decreased during those years about
! One-third, while crimes of extreme viO-
lence, especially murder, had decreas-
ed nearly half and highway robbery
almost three fourths.
An exception forms assault and man.
slaughter. which increased respective
ly from 95 to 1909 and from 16 to 20.
An increase is also found in criminal
assaults upon little girls, which have
doubled in number during the last
decade.
Sentences for intoxication have al
50 increased in number from 80 to
800, but here it must be said that
ten years ago little was done to pun.
sh or sentence drunkards.
Crimes which have their root in
greed in egotism and in poverty are
steadily decreasing. fact which is
III doubtedly connected with the fact
that the price of breadstuffs does not
seem to possess the influence toward
crime as in our country.
Bloody crimes in England have in
the same period decreased per cent,
thefts 80 per cent. counterfeiting "a
per cent and crimes against public
order 80 per cent.
At the same time criminal assaults
on girls have doubled, and criminal
ty among children less than - years
OF age has increased per cent.
How then is this decrease in crime
to be explained which is contradic
tory to the experiences made in Other
countries. for even in Germany, one OF
the most progressive and best regu
lated countries in the world. crimes
are continually increasing.
In Australia it may be explained by
the great social reforms which have
resulted in the common laborer being
more prosperous than the small Off
i11 in Ayo &c
the scattering of the population to iso
lated farms and the steady wal
against the pernicious influences
which corrupt the young people.
In 1898 there were in Australia -,
964 children in reformatories and al
orphans were being educated in pri
yate families at the expense of the
government. that spent s6,25O,OOO fol
the. purpose, or about 30 times the
amount spent by the government OF
Italy. with seven times larger popu
latlOn.
The same energy is shown in the
fight against alcoholism. which has
resulted in decrease in the con
sumption of alcoholic beverages from
2.15 to 2.2l gallons per head.
Similar measures are USED IN Swift
erland and London, where the Saliva
ton Army, the children's colonies, the
| homes of the late DIR. Bernardo, the
ragged schools etc, have WORKED
wonders.
ious societies united their efforts tt
crush alcoholism by limiting the mum
Der of public houses and by replac
Ing them by houses and places Of
amusement, which give healthful slim
ulation instead of the stimulation
which men seek in alcohol
England is also the only country
sane criminals have existed for near
j. d century, while the lawyers in the
Latin countries almost shudder at the
very idea Of such places.
To be sure there are even in Eng
land and Australia no lack of habitua
criminals, which shows that the re
forms are mainly useful against the
chance criminals, but less effective IL
the cases Of the born criminals wnC
form the great majority of the habit
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