The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-04-23
Standards of Morality

ST Louis Globe-Democrat History
Is full OF examples of cruelty and ex-
cesses committed in the name of right
eousness. 1t is barely a century since
the laws of England prescribed cap
ilal punishment for over q hundred
os1erent offenses. The men who con-
ceiFed these statutes felt themselves
10 De Patterns of morality and IN
questionably believed t.lat they pur-
sued the best course to stamp ont
crime Especially they proposed to
put an end to long list of minor
transgressions, which they claimed
would cease II the penalties were
made severe enough. Accordingly
the gibbet became one OF the most
familiar of English institutions. Of
tenders were hung as regular mart
OF the business of daily life. But
their number was no. decreased. The
feeling aroused among the yiolators
OF the laws was not terror or remorse.
but recklessnecs. Wagon loads of the
condemned went to the scaffoId sing
ing ribald songs. Prisons were full
Of defiant blasphemy. Among the
class most submerged by poverty and
evil training the feeling was that the
hangman's moose was only matter
OF time, 1t was reign of terror in
the name OF morality England saw
the point and reformed itself ont of
the gibbet code.
Crime is much rarer In England
today than 1t was in the period when
the execuuoners were among the bust
est men in the realm. wise and
balanced morality regulated bv the
moderation of common sense. has
done more for the Improvement of
social order, thar all the extreme
measures ever devised By narrow Law.
makers In regard to the use of in
toxlcating liquors every observer can
see that, without any statutory enact.
ment, the business world require.
much greater degree of self-controI
than formerly. A man addicted RI
drink TO an extent manifesting itself
in his daily habits finds his oDportun.
tiles for employment so reduced thar
the penalty, which is not in anv writ.
ten statute. impresses him as one too
serious to be ignored Public senti-
ment and the ordinary standard Of
business requirements are arrayed
against him. No Law tells him Sc.
NO organization or society of moralists
fix his punishment, and seek to IN.
tensify It. The punishment is sure
though silent.
1t often happens that those who en-
gage in what they conceive to be a
moral crusade lost sight OF. even
trample upon. greater moral consider
atoms. In opposition to the declared
principles Of both parties in the re-
cent state campaign an attempt is
made in the legislature to place at
once before the people the issue Of
statewide prohibition II this should
prevail an enormous amount of prop-
erty would be destroyed and tens Of
thousands OF sober Industrious Law
abiding men would be thrown out Of
the only form Of work with which
they are acquainted. No matter saw
some, morality demands that prohjbi.
ton shall be enforced at single
stroke, regardless how many unof-
tending families suffer, and as for
the property, what, they ask can dol
lars weigh against morality? But is
this the unadulterated morality it
claims to be? May it not be as i'm
moral as hanging poor wretch for
stealing few shillings, or as tortur.
ing an unbeliever in some particular
creed2 AL is not morality that calls
itself By the name and proclaims thai
it alone is genuine.