The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-07


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 There are the plain figures starins us in the face, but it must be borne in mind that the numbers given tell only ulation of nearly five millions. New York, three and one4haK millions; Berlin, about two millions: Chicago. nearly twox millions: Paris. nearly number of murderers awaiting trial in these large cities was as great in pro- portion to population as 1t is in Mont- somery, would not the figures be ap- palling7 Yet that is the way to looR at it It is not the actual but the proportionate. number that shocks us. Five hundred persons tried for mur- der in Alabama last year is not a pleasant record. but it is only a spec- imen of what is going on all over the Union. According to a table compiled by Judge Thomas, of this city. the United States has 129 homicides an- nually for each million inhabitants. while the next highest is Belgium with only sixteen to the million. The New York World of last Sunday has an illustrated article covering two pages devoted to tables and compara- tive statistics, furnished by Judge Thomas Professor Andrew D. White and others, from which we have taken the figures and comparisons given above. The article is lengthy and is well worth studying, not only by those interested in crimnoIogy but by all others, for it abounds in startling facts and figures. arranged so as to be read fly and easily comprehended.
 What must the civilized world think of the American people when these humiliating facts are brought to mo- tice in coId figures? What is perhaps of more importance Is what we snouId think Of ourselves. Must we admit that we of the United states are the most murderously inclined people in the civilized worI~. Then must we also admit that justice 'lags super fiuous on the stage in the United States as it does nowhere else? How are we to escape one or both these conclusions when the figures are set before us in all their cold and accus- ing plainnsss? We do more k4.Ang and punish less, and may as well ad- init 1t.
 Where lies the remedy for these hu- initiating conditions? mo can apply 1t, and how shall 1t be app.4ed? are inn portant questions that must be met. We have criminal laws enough on our statute books and we have courts enough, yet killings increase and con- victions decrease. The law is slow in it's operations. and delays. new trials, changes of venue and appeals length en the operation of trying criminals. and too often prevent convic ..ons There are so many ways by which justice may be delayed or thwarted, so many ioopholes through which the guilty may escape that our jails are all the time crowded with criminals awaiting trial Justice like wounded snake, drags it's slow length along" while murder and other crimes flourish on every hand. It occasional ly happens that a murderer is literally railroaded to the gailows, and then one who is equally guilty fails of con- viction, gets a sentence of imprison- ment, or mayhap Is pardoned
 Again, where is the remedy? One may say, it lies in intelligent firm and ineorruptiple juries. but such are not always to be obtained. Ignorant men get on the juries, men who can be corrupted get on them sometimes, and men with no opinions of their own and no firmness may also gN in the jury box. Does the remedy lie in upright and inf1exible judges? Wei, judges, too. are human and lean to mercys side when perhaps they should be ad- amantine in their firmness ana un- yielding in their construction of law and duty. If there Is a remedy for the conditions we have outlined, he will be benefactor who can point out the way through which the country may be relieved of the shame that now hangs over it.
 
 MAKING AND BREAKING WILLS.