The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-10-18
LAW MUST Be 0BEYED
SAYS WICKERSHAM
Although 1t Seems to Favor One Glass
as Against Another--Attorney
General Spoke to American
Prison Association.

Il
Omaha, Neb., oct. 49, I'm the battles
of economic forces for supremacy, the
| law must be obeyed, even though il
seems TO favor one class as against an
other. This speech before the American
| Prison association here last night.
| Punishment in some form, declared
the attorney general, is still necessary
to prevent crime. "This is especially
the CASE he added, "in a community
and at time, when divers economic
forces are struggling with each other
for the masters in the state, and where
laws are enacted through the influence
of one class or classes, TO control the
action of another class who are unwlll-
ing to accept them us rules OF action.
because uneonvineed Of the wisdom or
justice Of the legislative policy which
they embody. Yet consideration OF
the nature of social organization will
demonstrate the absolute necessity OF
all classes of society conforming to re-
quirements prescribed by the duly con
stituted authorities however wise or
unwise those regulations may appear to
those whose conduct is sought to be
controlled by them.
But within its constitutional scope, |
the acts of the legislature stand until
repealed as the mandate Of organized
society, and the continued effectiveness
OF organized society requires that obedi |
enee to such laws be compelled
The attorney general lengthily dis
cussed the broad question Of punish
ment for crime and the administration |
Of the federal parole law.
Modern penal legislation, he said, is
based on a recognition OF the expediency |
Of endeavoring to reform the criminal, |
and so great stress has been laid on
that feature in dealing with criminals,
that Eve sometimes forget that in order |
that punishment may act as a deter |
rent upon others it must appear as
badge OF disgrace and not simply the |
bestowal of beneyolence.'
Mr.. Wiekcrsham favored the extern |
sion Of the parole law to include life |
prisoners. He regarded il as an incon
gruity that prisoners sentenced to long /
terms for vicious crimes should be eli /
gible for parole, when the man convicted I
of second degree murder must remain /
in prison for life.
If the law making power, continued !
Mr.. Wickersham, considers reformation, I
conditional liberation and reinstatement /
to normal position in society possible /
in these cases, "it is difficult to say /
on what principle the same possibility /
and hope of reformation, liberation and /
forgiveness should not be extended 10 |
one guilty of murder under cireum
stances not punishable by death While |
there is life there should be hope. 1t /
may be far off, delayed, dim. distant |
possibility. but il would seem that that 1
hope should be held ont as possible /
attainment To the meanest wretch who I
is allowed TO live. The justice OF man I
should aim at the perfection of di I
vine justice, and though finite wisdom
not knowing the hearts OF men, may not /
always deal Justly with offenders, yet /
it should not Shut the gates of mercy /
against The meanest of Gods creatures.
Since the parole law was placed in
operation last autumn, the attorney gen
eral said but one prisoner had violated
his parole. The 200 prisoners who were
paroled from the time the law was put
into effect in the autumn of 1910 to
June 30 earned nearly $4,000. where
as, if they had remained in prison. the
attorney general pointed out they would
have been charge on the government.
Mr.. Wickersham expressed the belief
that the parole boards should be en-
larged By adding two unofficial persons
selected from among prominent citizens
Of the locality in which the prison is
situated.