The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1909-08-26
CRIME and PUBLIC OPINION.
i is the Fault Of the Latter That Small
Criminals are Severely Punished
While the Great Male-FdCtOrS Escape
With Little OF No Punishment.

There is not the slightest doubt
hat public opinion what the Ger
mans call the zeit-geist or time splr-
t-has very much to do with the fire.
1uency or rarity of crime. 1t forms
i sort of moral atmosphere which all
must breathe. Its germs of good or
evil are taken in or rejected accord
ng to our moral make up. But, try
as we may, it is difficult to free our
selves wholly from its influence.
Hence the necessity Of doing every
thing in our power to contribute
to the formation Of a right public
conscience.
By public opinion we mean not on
ly the spoken or printed word, but
our general attitude, or manner of
acting, as well; and this practical ex-
preston of opinion is stronger and
more infential than speech. To IL
lustrate: We have but to notice the
too common methods Of dealing with
criminals. Needless to say, all the
criminals are not in the lookup; and
we may say very truthfully add that
the biggest and worst are still at
large, and that this is due, in great
measure, to the practical attitude Of
our public officials and of the public
generally in dealing with these men.
Only few weeks ago July l2)
news item appeared in the Sun stat
ing that mana certain Whitaker
had been sentenced in the criminal
court of Suffolk, Va, to two years
imprisonment for stealing an orange,
notwithstanding the mans plea that
he was forced by hunger to take the
fruit. having eaten nothing for two
days. Not so very long since there
was a similar case Of long-term
sentence imposed for the theft of a
ham 1--WE don't remember the exact
length of the sentence, not having
the clipping at hand). When asked
if he had anything to say in his de-
fence the prisoner replied: Moth
ing, except to thank God that | didn't
take the whole pig" AS our read
ers are fully aware, these are pretty
fair samples of the manner of melting
out Justice to the low down criminal
who has neither money nor friends.
AS a rule, the petty thief gets justice
with a vengeance.
On the contrary it is notorious
fact that the colossal rogues-those
who steal on large scale-frequent.
ly go unpublished or with nominal
punishment utterly out of proportion
to their crime. In fact, the bigger
the theft the more likely they are tt
get immunity. There are it is true
notable and most praiseworthy ex
ceptions; but it is almost the rule tt
show greater leniency toward the big
sharks-the men who steal the gov
eminent or from the community a
large by the thousands or the mil
lions. We all know how difficult
is to secure the conviction Of men o
wealth, influence or political promi
hence.
Nor is it only in the tribunals Q
| justice that we find these conditions
The same state exists PRACTICAL
| in society. In words, we are lou
enough in our condemnation of tn
big malefactors. But is it not a
unquestionable fact that many {
these men, in spite of the clears
proofs against them, are received k
society without shame with ope
arms-aye, and even lionized by i
People who would scorn to associa
with the common or petty thief
with the man who stole a loaf
bread-are proud to be number
among the friends or acquaintanc
of the clever land-grabber, the ra
road or corporation robber.
In stating these facts, which a
patent to every observant readt
there is no intention whatsoever
condoning or minimizing crime, no
ever small its proportions. Far fro
it. Crime is crime everywhere a
at all times. And that is precis.
the point we wish to make-that
crime should be punished and tt
Justice should be melted out in p
portion to the rime-the greater
wrong done, the greater the penal
There is no socialism or class Dist
ton in this. There is nothing n
in it either. 1t is merely a sta
ment of an eternal truth. And WI
we hold that the colossal robber
no matter how high the social sta
ing deserve greater contempt {
severer punishment than the &C
mon thief, we are but applying
present conditions a principle as
= as the hills themselves. -Baltim
- Sun.
4 Baby won't suffer five minutes W
Z Group il YOU use DIR. Thomas Ecle
Oil at once IT acts like magic