The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-09-26
,XHCUTI NG HABITUAL GRIM
INALS.

,XBCUTI NG HABITUAL GRIM.
INALS.
A great deal of discussion has
been stirred up by Attorney Gen
eral Bonaparte's suggestion that
habitual criminals should be con-
demned to death. MIR. Bonaparte
would make capital punishment the
penalty upon the fourth conviction
fJr " major crime. The small
amount of sympathy that his sug.
gestion has met with is indicative
of the trend of present day pen,
ology toward more merciful treat
ment of the convict.
1t has not been long since near
~ all crimes were punishable by
death, and some of the petty of.
fcnses now classed as misdemeanors
carried the same penalty. The list
of capital Offenses in civilized coun'
tries has shrunk little by little un
til at the present time it is ex'
ceptional for an execution to take
place. fer any other crime thar
that of murder. In the United
States the growing sentiment
against the taking of human life
has come to make the death penalty
almost imperative even in eases Of
deliberate murder. Whether or moi
this extreme sensitiveness has re
mlted in defeating its own enc
bv lessening the restraining element
# fear in the heart of the Grim
inally inclined is largely mat
ter of opinion. But it is certain
that purblic sentiment in Ameri'
ga demands life for a life only
IN rare eases; and public sentiment
is supreme.
This merciful trend Of sentiment
GEMS nearer right than Mr.. Bona
rarte's doctrine of the merciless
elimination of the "criminal ele
ment. :" His suggestion, it must b,
admitted, is in line with evolu
jonary law-society as a Who'll,
ould be improved by the summar,
emoval of its criminal members
But civilized society does not de
velop exactly along the selfisl
lines of the cave man, or tht
aboriginal tribe. The evolution oi
the highest physical and menta
type of man is undoubtedly inter
fered with bv the maintenance oi
asylums for the insane and feeble
minded, and homes for the aged
the infilm and the poor. But
r'odem society is unalterably com.
mitted in favor Of such institutions
For thev are in line with the mora
and spiritual evolution of the race
which modern society recognizes
as paramount.
1t is hard to determine who is q
habitual criminal. The proof
taken from the records of the Grim.
inal courts is not always conclu.
sive. Present climinolOgv and psy-
chology insist that there is still a
lance for the great majority of
hose classed as criminals. Our Grim
inal law and procedure are in pro-
"oss Of revision in harmony with
this view. The ideal is coming TO
'e the reformation of the offender,
and the prevention of future often.
scs.
In working out a solution to
the grave problems involved. il NAV
be found wise to keep "habitual
criminals" in continuous confine-
ment to protect society. Such a
method is quite defensibIe, pro-
vding extreme care is taken to rele-
eating criminals to this hopeless
class. But that criminal offenders
should be put TO death through the
operation of law that
made four convictions fatal-that
would be intolerable. Plain Dealer.
PERSISTENCE IN ILLEGALITY.
The salient feature of the past
week in connection with the trust
question has been the extraction
from Standard witnesses, under the
persistent inqmsition of Mr.. Kel-
egg, Of sworn admissions as to the
nature Of that combination. In its
learing ON the general assertion that
he Standard has its clutch on the
'etrPleeqg9 ,refRipg va industry, this
W'depee IS only eonfiImatory of
what ordinarily well posted people
inew already. Many of the details
Yerp also well ,,n1n,.rto.I Ill