Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-12

was rejected, for he found no place for
repentance. though he sought II care
fully with tears"
| But great as the waste which has been
made with reference to our natural re-
sources, our loss in another direction is
far greater. We are squandering moral
resources UNNECESSARILY more precious,
and we are paying out with the loss of
these invaluable things an amount of
hard cash almost inconceivable.
| In a recent issue of the World Today
l. Mr. Hugh C.. Weir prints an article from
which the following alarming figures are
taken. He says:
"Crime costs the United States 100000
an hour.
"The yearly cost of crime in America
is estimated at $1,373, 0,OOO
| "If crime could be checked absolutely
for eight months the saving would pay
the national debt, 100000.
1.-THE annual imports of the nation are
800 ,OoO,O 600 less in value than the cost OF
its crime.
| american gold mines yield less than
half the nations annual crime expense.
| THE market value of all the horses,
sheep and cattle in the country is about
the same as the annual crime BILL.
1.-THE coal, wheat and wool produced
Iarnually in this country represent a
Ivalue about the same as the actual cost
of crime
In the light of these figures it is clear
that we could afford to give the Guggen-
helms and their associates all the re-
| sources of Alaska, if for the gift they
could supply us the means of drying up
the sources of crime in the country. But
/ this they can not do; on the contrary,
| they may while opening mines open new
springs of crime. Some think they have
already done So a..
| we must flud the remedy for ourselves
or continue to pay this intolerable trl-
bute TO the spirit of evil, not to speak of
the living victims offered in sacrifice up
on this diabolic altar who are more val
Iuable than gold. If any foreign power
laid upon us such a burden we would go
ito war rather than endure the outrageous
| exaction, but we bear this burden pa
tjentIy when laid on us by the criminal
| classes and we go on our careless way
thinking little of the load imposed upon
lus Surely we need an awakening upon
1.-THE subject of conserving our moral re-
sources like the revival OF interest whlcn
has sprung up on behalf of our natural
resources.
, The task of conserving our natural re-
sources is one that government can easily
attend to; but such is not the case with
our moral resources. In this higher ana
lnobler realm the clumsy, gross powers
Of political agents can do little. About
all government can do in this high mat
Ter is to protect and encourage those who
take the work in hand and who can do
something worth while.
| When it is proposed to take steps foI
the conservation of our moral resources
some men seem to feel that the whole
thing will be done if the government will
give the people schools and educate ig-
norance out of the land. They vainly
Imagine that the enlightenment of the
mind is the panacea for all moral ills
No theory could be more false. 1t pro-
ceeds on the idea that men commit crime
because they do not know any better
and that a clear head assures clear
heart The history of mankind In al
ages and the daily experience of every
individual show that this is not true.
The days of ignorance in the life OF
many nations have contained less crime
than the days of enlightenment. OF the
history of the Grecian republics 1T has
been often remarked that there was less
| crime and more virtue when they were
poor and unlettered than in their later
days of greater opulence and culture. The