The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-01-05
DEATH PENALTY, OR ISPRIsON-
BIENT FOR LIFE?

The death penalty or imprisonment
for life, for murder. which?
No governor Of Kansas has had the
temerity to order the execution OF
criminal under death penalty for
the crime Of murder. and in ali prob
ability none ever will The public
sentiment Of the state Is against It;
and Kansas leads IN advanced ideas
on all great subjects before the peO-
pie OF the United States
Two hangings recently occurred.
one in New Jersey and one in Yer
mont. which have attracted wide
spread comment Public sentiment
condemns both executions. In Yer
mont. Mrs. Mary Rodgers was hanged
for the murder OF her husband. The
hanging Of a woman is naturally re-
pulsivs The chivalry Of man rises
in rebellion against it Even in cold
blOOded, nOn-prOgressive and puFi-
tanicaI Vermont public sentiment is
against it. School children taunt the
little daughter Of Deputy Sheriff Mac
AuIey with cries OF ''Hangman, hang
mani" and with streaming eyes she
seeks comfort in the arms Of her
mother. MacAuley himself is up
braided by the citizens Of the town
in which he lives. His answer. Il only
did my sworn duty; 1 did not hang
Mrs Rodgers: the law did that" is
absolutely correct These incidents
are only a reflex OF even cold Vermont
public sentiment
The other case was the hanging OF
Edwin F. TapIey, junior, at Jersey
City. A physician had arranged with
the condemned man a system Of sig
nails to be made three times, after the
trap fell to indicate to the doctor
whether he was conscious, by the
movement OF his hands and fingers
The man made the signals that were
agreed on, meaning Il am conscious"
These things are uncanny and cause
a perceptibIe shiver to human sensi-
bilities.
The death penalty is often justified
by quoting the scriptures. Under all
the circumstances of modern civiiiza-
ton. the appeal is not we'll taken. In
the first place law is for the prOtec-
ton Of the innocent against the guilty,
and that protection can be amply Sc
cured by life Imprisonment.
In primitive societies without jaiIs
and prisons this could not be done,
hence the fat OF scripture, Who SO
sheddeth mans blood, by man shall
IS blood be shed" In the next place
civil law does not contemplate yen-
geance. The scripture declares that
to God. the author Of life, belongs this
prerOgative- Vengeance is mine, and
I will recOmpense, saith the Lord
OF all barbarous and disgusting
modes Of execution OF criminals is
the degradation Of science. the hand
maid OF Christianity" by means Of
eIectrocution. New York may tolerate
such a system but Kansas never
would.
If precedence is needed against cap
ital punishment, we quote two scrip
turaI facts. God spared the first muir
der Cain and even gave him intima-
ton Of the way to secure pardon, and
promised him protection against the
lex taIliOnis'' Saul afterwards called
St. Paul, was a murderer, accessory
before the fact and particeps criminis
in the death OF the sanity Stephen
He not only obtained pardon, but was
chosen Of God as the very chiefest Of
the Apostles.
There are other considerations that
make against capital punishment. The
waste OF the utility Of GOd-given life
years OF quite productive toll and
the opportunity for reflection and re-
pentance. Then the execution Of men
is brutaiizfng to humanity. We have
even laws against cruelty to animals.
How disgusting and abOminabIe is the
execution OF a human being!
THE AGE MONEY MAD.
Viewed from a certain standpoint