Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-14

do"
cover from much more dangerous
wounds than the ordinary man.
LynchIng Cause for Crime.
Lynching is also cause for
crime, before 1880 most of the lynch
ing consisted of tar and feathering,
or ducking, and then driving the VIC
tim out of the town in (which he
resided. Lynching did not amount to
killing until 1910. Crime cannot be
suppressed by cruelty and public ex-
hibitions of punishment, When peo-
pie become accustomed to such tor
lures, they also become hardened to
it and rejoice in practising it. The
tortures and horrors endured by the
French peasants at the hands of the
French nobility in the seventeenth
century, which eliminated in that
disastrous and bloody revolution,
proves this contention.
Foreign immigration is also an
other cause for crime. In 1890, 1851
per cent. of prisoners were foreign.
Nativef born persons were 54.S7 per
cent. of population and furnished
only 4S.19 per cent. of the prisoners.
That criminals come to America and
that many former. convicts are shipped
by societies cannot be doubted. This
might be greatly remedied by in
creasing the head tax. For this rea-
son, South America gets good immi-
grants and the bad come over here.
The negro factor is one of the most
important and serious to be dealt
with in crime statistics. Physical,
excepting in the case of a small pro-
portion, and mental inferiority and
racial inheritance are the predomin-
ant characteristics. In the North it
is more difficult for the negro to get
regular employment in the trades
than in the South. Exclusion by
| trades unions increases the difficulty
and the isolation of race prejudice
deprives them of learning from the
more advanced races. As long as
! the causes remain we must expect
an increase of crime. Alcoholism is
acknowledged as a serious cause
| Psychologists have proved by numer-
Gus experiments and Investigations
that alcohol impairs and weakens
| the human being. 1t disturbs and
dulls the normal action of the brain
1t weakens the will and the power
of the higher nerve centres, dulls
the intellect and excites anger ano
lust.
Physical Causes.
The physical causes, as climate an6
| seasons, are the least important and
most difficult to control by human
action. The social causes, as child
labor, poverty, crowded population
vary and fiuctuate largely, and car
be modified by the agencies of hui
manity. You may, therefore, con.
clude that the most important causes
of crime are those which are subject
to social direction and control. Thi:
is hopeful.
The care of the discharged crimina
and his families is an important fac
tor of the preventive measure. H'
must have remunerative employment
Immediately upon his release lest HI
return to his criminal career. 1t II
hard for a convict to secure a posi-
ton, as a man does not desire to bt
associated with such. Thus the con
vict enters a world of scorn. He be
comes uneasy and very sensitive
| The cooperation of private parties
is always valuable. The more quick
ly he is lost in the mass of the work
ing people the better for him ant
society. 1t is wrong to allow hin
after release to congregate in insti
buttons where the police have NJ
direct control over him.
Drastic Method.
Many methods have been proposed
for the cutting off of the increas
of the criminal. McKim's propose
is to kill off all persons who's
heredity promises bad issue. All de
fectiyes and criminals would b
placed in alright compartments an
put to death by some poisonous blu
not unpleasant gas. The objection t
this plan would be the hardening 0
public feeling that would cause
transformation of the communit
into a community of criminals
Sterilization has been proposed a
another scheme The objection t
| this would De lndl llllllteu dpplcd
ton comes too late. 1t does not pre-
vent criminal heredity before con
viction and does not touch the socis
causes of crime. The great ma
jority of criminals must be kept fror
propagation by isolation and per
haps surgery.
Much dissatisfaction, misery an
anxiety of the working people is th
direct product of the uncertainties {
, commercial life. Social peace an
order can be promoted and assure
by insurance against fire, sickness
I death and old age, either by stat
action, as in some countries in Ell
rope, or by mutual aid societie
There must be factory legislation; II
spection as a safeguard against pre-
! mature employment of children, an
organization of schools for their n
, lief, education and training.
{ Charity must also be counted upo
as an aid for the removal of II
; causes of crime.