The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-01-09
PEOPLES FORUM
Try Some other Plan.

10 I ne AIumOTcllp,
The man who believes the very
founda ions of the world were laid
wrong. and that the Devil Is running
the affairs of the human race to suit
himself. is garrulous crank, that
we can not afford to listen to. As a
rule, the Iconol.ast is a vicious anar-
chist who would do harm If he had
enough influence II Is not wise 10
make war on long established Gus
toms. and laws that have been proven
by time, and have the test of expert.
ence. unless we have the best of rea.
son, for so doing. But We nave some
hoary headed old frauds masquerad
ing in the garb of perfection, and
claiming exemption from criticism by
the Statute of Limitations. which
have nothing but their age to recon.
mend them.
Chief among these Is our system of
criminal procedure. so far as It ap-
plies 70 our dealings with habitual
,imina's BY habitual criminals we
mean those men ana women whose
very occupations are forbidden by law.
/ hat this system Is almost com
plete failure. no one who studies II
carefully will deny. The more it is
examined the more faulty it will ap-
pear. II all the apologists of evil
should meet in conclave with Satan
presiding, to devise the best plan for
not pun'shing. crime and for not re.
forming criminals they would prob
ably adopt our system unanimously.
aud adjourn the first day.
10 form any intelli gent idea of our
dealings with those people. it is nee.
essary to first investigate a little. and
thoroughly acqulint ones self with the
conditions that surround them.
Ardmore is no worse than other
towns Of its size, in fact it is not so
bad as some OF them, but it will be a
good field in which to study these
problems, and see how our system
works
Let the inquirer take stroll
through those portions Of the city
where these characters coneregatc.
ana unfortunately, Ardmore shows
her worst side first. for the criminal
classes have taken possession of the
most irequented part of the ely. See
IN certain blocks. the crowds of men
ana boys that throng the sidewalks.
Mlng.o with them and listen TO their
tax. Hear their donmclatlon of the
best people Of the city, and their con.
tempt Tor honest industry in all of its
forms. Examine their appearance
closely Notice chat some of them
have deprayed and dissipatci coun.
'enances and are shabbily attired.
You would al once decide that tney
were ready for any deed of yiIIainy
mat their psysical courage would en-.
able them to perform. Others are
well dressed, afflblo and INTELLIGENT
looking men, apparently capable of
useful and profitable work. But no
man Is ever able TO detect one of tnem
at any decent honest work. How do
they live? Watch. See those labor.
ers IN overalls going up and down tho
stairs. Look at those smart Alec,
farmer boys staggering around IN
the crowd, cracking Jokes with those
.oafers See those bearded old farm.
erN, who have just sold bale of cot.
ton or disposed of load of hogs com.
ing out of some suspicious LOOKING
place w'pinG their mouths. Watch
closely, and perhaps you will see some
respectable business man dodge in NJ
4 side door or sneak up a back stair.
way. Well dressed strangers are ,rt.
en- IN evidence, and at night cab; nIy
to and from the red light resorts in
the eastern part of the city. See
that poor old Choctaw who has inst
gotten his lease money for the wear,
Watch one of those vicious looking
Fellows, dccoy him into a dark alley
ana hand him bottle His money is
necessary to the business of that part
Of the city. II the fellow with tho
bottle can run him upstairs the rest
Is easy; If not, he must be knocked on
the head and his money taken. FINE
blow kills him, no matter. His money
VIII pay the rent for the Joint. ana
perhaps fee the lawyer, If any ,one
should be 50 unreasonable as to make
a fuss about it,
This Is only glimpse at the .ut.
SIDE, but it is enough TO enable ono 10
rom pretty definite idea of what
I means. Gambling ana Prostitu.
ion with Whiskey as silo-line" is
ne conclusion that is arrived at
An incursion through the interior
WOULD reveal depths of DEGRADATION