The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-12-05
DAY MAY BE- NEAR When THERE
WILL BE NO PUTTING TO DEATH

The Religious Herald this week
prints the following timely editorial.
which is from the pen Of DR.. r. H.
Pitt, the editor:
On Putting to Death.
Ine recent discussions in the news
papers and the preoccupation of the
public mind with the noted offenders
in the Carroll county tragedy and
their impending doom, together with
a somewhat wholesale conviction of
the murderers OF Rosenthal, the gam
bier. in New York city, not to men
ton a number OF other legal execu-
tions in our own State and else
where-al these have set people to
thinking and inquiring concerning the
whole question Of capital punishment.
Indeed, the yet larger subject of punt
tive justice in general is one that
ought to be sympathetically and in
telligently studied by all good citizens.
That some element of vindictive-
ness of vengeance lies at the root of
All punitive justice there can be little
question. In unorganized society the
lndlVidual avenged his own wrongs or
else some near kinsman undertook the
task. As society developed and the
state emerged, government laid it's
restraining hand upon the avenger
and undertook itself the task of pun-
ishment. Perhaps the philosophy Of
this is simple. The State undertakes
this task before the State can better
perform It, That, doubtless, is one
ground for the transfer of this func-
ton from the individual to organized
society. Moreover, the personal wrong
Is seen TO be wrong against society
as well. Indeed, in the larger view,
the chief injury is done to organized
society. This would seem to be the
A. B. G of the matter. 1t is worth
while to note, in passing, that puni-
tive justice begins with the notion OF
vengeance. This. however. is not ali
OF 1t. There is also the element of
reparation. In some way, If possible,
the wrongdoer must pay. his debt to
society. He is no longer a freeman,
but by his own wrong act has en-
tered into servitude TO the society
which he has damaged. Yet another
consideration which enters into puni-
tive justiceNis the security, the safety
of society. Hence the wrongdoer is
in many instaA ces segregated from the
public, confined within a given space,
deprived OF freedom of personal move
ment and contact, shut out from all
ordinary pursuits of life, that his bad
example may not spread itself like
an immoral contagion. Yet another
element that enters into the matter
of punitive justice is its deterrent ef-
feet upon others. The theory is that
If the wrongdoer is promptly and Sc
Verely punished for his misdeeds,
then the man who is tempted to do
wrong will often be deferred by the
apprehension Of a like fate.
In modern times stress has been
laid upon yet another feature of puni-
tive justice, namely, the reformatory
element. Those who insist upon this,
maintain that IL by the segregation of
the criminal, by humane treatment
OF him, by seeking to show him the
wrongness of his course, he can be
made worthy of restoration to society,
this will be the best possible disposi-
ton to make OF him.
Now, in view of this rough land
ready analysis Of the notion Of punt
tive justice. does the taking of life by
the State in cases OF extreme wrong
doing better meet the necessities OF
society and better accomplish the pur-
poses of punitive justice than any
other form of punishment administer