The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-01-09
vERMoNTs CRIME WAVE
Opinions of a Man Who Makes Study
Of Question.


Burlington, Jan. s.-Before the
Mems Brotherhood of the First
Church yesterday ]. N. Barss, sup
erintendent of the Vermont Indus
trial school at Vergennes, sounded a
note of warning against conditions Of
degeneracy which are fast encroach-
ing upon the manhood of the whole
country and of Vermont in particular
Mr. Barss quoted figures tending to
show an increase in crime, imbecili-
ty and immoral conditions in Yer
mont during the last few years. The
cause for these Mr. Barss found in al
almost universal lack of the inhibi-
tory power the strength to say to
mans self:-"Ihou Shalt Not
In 1904, there were in the jails and
penitentiaries of Vermont 274 per
sons, and in the Industrial schools 1c7
On Christmas morning, 1911, 271 per-
sons were in the jails OF the state,
1853 in States prison and 63 in tie
House of Correction. as well as 200
in the State industrial school. A
careful examination of the inmates of
the industrial school, made by DR.
+. w. Sears of this city, shows that
the trouble with these children in
wolves little or no physical abnor-
mality, and practically no subnormal
conditions. Observation of them in
dicates that their infirmity is mostly
mental OF those who are not abso-
lutely imbecile, a large proportion
seem TO be almost entirely lacking in
mental balance. Reports from insti-
tutions OF this kind in all the other
| states 90 to show that where the in
mates are not actually incompetent
of mind a great majority of them lack
the mental poise to keep them from
going down before temptation.
Mr.. Barss is convinced that this
lack of equilibrium is not confined to
any particular class, although OF
course where conditions tend TO en-
courage immortality and crime It's re-
suits become more evident. Present
day authorities notably DR.. j. II. Ael-
logg, find that the action of drugs
liquors and nicotine upon the hui
man system is not particularly harm
full to the general physical well-be
ing but that these posions act di
rectly upon the brain by isloating the
units OF the cerebrum and so prevent
ing the mind of coherent thinking
that is mans only stay in iempta
ton. 1t is in the effect of these poi
sons that Mr. Barss finds the explain
alton of the mental unbalance, the
prevalence of which has been noted
That these poisons are present II
American life is shown by the follow
ing statistics:
There were consumed in the Unit
ed States last year 1885, 100000 gal
Ions of alcoholic liquor 4OOOOO,OO'
pounds of tobacco, 750OOO0,0O0 Gig
ars. 5,500,000,000 cigarettes, 10000
pounds of opium and 10000 ounces o.
cocaine. The per capita consump
ton per annum for each man, WON
an and child was 176 pints of liquor
10 pounds of tobacco and 30 grains
of opium. The daily per capita con
sumption of poison for each man, wo
man and child was $50 grains of al
cohol. grains of nicotine and III!
grains of opium.
Does this apply to Vermont? Crime
is costing the State of Vermont more
today than education. A few years
ago in Vermont homicide was rare
At present we are undergoing an cpl
demic of homicide. The same is tru,
OF suicide. How can we account FOL
this in Vermont where there is NJ
influx of immigrants to bear The
! .ApfanHg that ~ II
due In large measure to the use o
drugs. tobacco and alcohol. Anotne
cause of depravity in Vermont is thu
terrible isolation of many OF on
hill towns. Mr.. Barss said that In hi
estimation the greatest preachers u
Vermont today was the state high
way commissioner, c. w. Gates, WHIT
goes about convincing the farmers o
the absolute necessity of opening VI
communication with the OUTSIDE
world. The fact remains that the In
crease OF crime in Vermont In thu
last seven years has been as grea
as 10 per cent
Mr.. 9arss suggests the following
remedies
% A commission to gather Grim
inal data in Vermont.
CD A Statewide probation sys
tenn to investigate all reports OF de
linquency.
(S) An indetermlnate sentence
with the allowance Of time OF iol
good behavior sufficient to MAKE
good behavior worth while.
OD Classification OF prison IN
mates and segregation into units
based on mental condition, crimina
experience and age.
(5) Ownership and operation o.
state industries by the state, OF
which criminals may work on the
niece and percentage basis.
(6) Establishment of pena
farm for inebriates and those guilty
OF minor offences.
t0 A law forbiddng the grantint
Of marriage licenses to people mol
mentally sound.