Arizona republican., 1913-02-18
Unless 1Ue learn tO do OUT duty tO thOSe 1Oh0m 1Oe employ, HGy 1UiH neUeY IeQ1q tO do Heiy duty 10 uS.
 Dickens.
Capital Punishment

Though the most important matter before the legislature of the frequently discussed the senate anti-capital punishment bill is the way l., it's early fate Viewing this matter dispassion- ately. do believe that this bill should be- come a law. and while admitting the honesty and earnestness of it's supporters do not think such law would be specialization of the majority sentiment of the state
 We must agree that a state of society in which the life d human being should be taken violently would be ideal one, but ideal condi- tions not brought about by mere legislation. We admit that executions are repugnant, as many of the offices of society will be until have the millennium. But cannot evade duties because they repugnant. It may be that long before the millennium. We do away with capital pun ishment but sure that the time for it's abo- Htion is not hand that is nearly approach ing.
 The question of capital punishment cannot be discussed from moral or religious grounds. and in trying to do so. We think that the advocates of abolition make a serious mistake and weaken their cause When they quote as they invariably do Thou Shalt Not Kill" they only redirect attention to the great organic law of the Jews and all hu- manity. the constitution which founded the Jewish criminal code fixing death the punish ment for variety of offenses. Moses himself did interpret the commandment as a prohibition against the taking of human life a punishment for crimes against God and man. We cannot at this remote period, give the commandment in depreciation variance with that given it by the great Jewish law-giver.
 We can be concerned only with the question whether society is better served by capital punish than it would be by abolition-with the eff feet of abolition upon the crime of murder. Those who favor abolition claim, in a general way, that murder has decreased in states where capital pun ishment has been abolished We have never seen any definite figures this point but we know that few have shocked the world with re- yolting murders in rural communities than Kansas where, in effect, there is capital punishment
 In making comparisons between states with reference to murder cases one important fact has been overlooked and that is that in state of the union, in hardly a single community, has the law of capital punishment been rgidIy certainly en- forced. But when it has been enforced by a senti- ment recently mortified by a series of bloody crimes such crimes have been Iessened in numbers
 It is authoritvey stated that New York and Chicago wfIful murder in twenty is exc cuted. A law not used worthless a in adequate only mtermittently used is of course inefficient It is further stated that in all Eng land there fewer murders committed a yeal than are committed in either Chicago of the state of Texas in a month In England the law capita punishment is rigdly carried out. The conviction and death of the murderer is swift and certain Nothing is dependent upon emotional sentiment.
 The law of capital punishment does mear that every convicted murderer shall die. It means that the state shall have the power tn, murderer and that power shall be exercised through it's representative citizens constituting and juries which having informed themselves of all the circumstances, shall say whether tn murderer shall live die; that the state may b able to say that those who commit atrocrious crime not fit to live among Those who wou abolish capital punishment would deprive the stat of this power.
 There is another thing upon which advocate of abolition dwell-the reclamation of the murderer rather than his death. Is it not aborrent, when W to think of it. the reclamation of who ha committed murder by poison lying in wait. tn reclamation of a Belle Gunness a Kate Bender Would in any circumstances want such a mur derer back into society?
 We appreciate the merciful sensibilities and tn sentiment, (which be believe to be mistaken), those who favor the abolition of capital punishmen We believe that they necessarily all good me good But think they when the