Newark post., 1913-03-19
Delaware and the
Whipping Post
CONTINUED from page >

III Gill EHidliEris. II discrimination
Exists. il Is self evident that it ok
isis from bat two sources and two
sources alone. viz:
J Discrimination by the law:
=. Discrimination by the courts.
But the upholder Of this contention
admits that ii does not lie I'm the
law. for he says. But If the law
IS read II viii be found gmifc sufi-
cient to provide for the rich GRIM
inal the lash he never gets. There
can ba but one conclusion. II
must follow a. the night the dag.
that the alleged discrimination Is
ia our courts. that with the law
clearly before them. our judges dis
eFimimare botwcen rich and poor.
and Ief the rich escape.
Now here Is an opportunity for
his statement TO b. proved afTira-
lively. The originator Of this COZ
rcntiOn alleges discrimination. h.
acknowledges openly that the la"
- not 10 blame. ROW let us hear
some Of his proofs for MS v-iIesl
attack Ola Delaware : judiciary.
No Judge i faIiiabIr. but We want
70 hear the proofs Of their dis-
elimination before We ackn0wledg.
their condemnation is just.
Let Us have the evidence. not
naif-baked theories and ancient
history and unproyen premises.
recognize that this clear posi-
ion will be again cyadrd. and Gov
cred with mass Of Biblical quota
lions and appeals to the poor
which appeals are basrd absolute
" upon ability TO prove that ap-
Deals should b. made. but such
statements should not b.. circulated
over the country without proof of
thcir truth. Recall. also. that this
contributor does not stand upon the
broad ground Of humanity. but has
Dccn content 10 sail under false col
Ors. gaining whatever support h"
may have received. not from alleg-
I'd discrimination. but from thOs-
~hO believe the whipping post is an
archaic aud barbarOus punishment.
incidentally. my position has
Deen termed destructive And
why? Because | have asserted
hat we should search back and find
he point Of alleged discrimination
and then remcdy IT, while the con-
structiyc position is 10 abolish il.
| gather from this that the farmer
Nho burned down his barn to Kill
rats was constructive. while the
one who eradicated the rats and
let the barn stand. was ''destruc-
tive. Well we live and learn.
Newark. Del. W. II. Conner.
The article to which Mr.. Conner
refers in his above letter.
The usual argument used by the oppo-
nents OF whipping i familiar Comment
on the whippings in Delaware jail yar.Is
= periodically elected to the effect that
-he whipping post, like the knout OF
Russia. j. An institution altogether o:it
Of pla"e in this age and country. and thu
such harsh and cruel punishment iegra le,
he cuIprit renders him caIIous, confirms
him IN crime and has an evil Influence
1pOu the community. The assumption hT-
usually been that conservative and hide
bound State. left in an eddy outside OF
-he main current Uf civilization. has sim
ply held fast TO piece Of antiquity be
cause of la"k Of the progressive spirit.
Nothing seems further from the truth.
Whether right or wrong. the various stat
JtOry cuactinents in Delaware on the
whipping post have been guided by ar
intelligent, not to say scientific, effort to
solve difficult problem in penology. Tho
Chief Justice Of Delaware. the Hon.
Charles y. Lore. who is one of the most
humane of men.-a Christian. n scholar
and sound iurist, foremost in all humani-
tartan mOycments.-has ably discussed
rhe subject and is strongly in favor OF the
whipping post a. a corrective and pre-
yentiye of crime. The great majority of
the Intelligent people Of his State are in
accord with him, and the last session Of
The Legislature, after careful comsidera-
-he whipping post to wifc-bcaters and
raised the maximum number Of the la.hcs
from forty to sixty in the ease of heinous
crimes, whore preme'Iitation. "a in at
tempted poisoning, enters into the ease.
Chief Justice Lore has pointed out that
-he peculiar position of Delaware. which
is tongue Of lani wedged between three
States, near large cities and tapped by
great trunk lines of railroad. would make |
the state dumping ground for criminals
II there were not special deterrcnts to
crime. This i a special or local reason,
but the controlling reason, which is of
general application, is, he says, based on
the test of experience that the whipping
post is the most efficient deterrent Of