Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1913-01-24

A. d
~ er in capital punishment, but the
people Of your state have voted
tnat they want capital punishment.
-Four murderers are awaiting death at
the state penitentiary. Would you
commute their sentences to life i'm
prisonment?
-Four men had been reprieved by
Governor West of Oregon until the
state could vote On the specific ques-
ton of the abolition of capital pun
ishmenr. When the mo" ballot out
numbered the Yes" ballots by 10000,
the governor refused to commute the
sentences. On the night before the
execution, far on the Pacific coast, all
night meetings were held to protest
against the murder" of the four Ore
gon murderers. All over the country
people waited with deep concern for
the governors decision.
NOW, Governor West is only one Of
many chief executives of our states
who believe that the ancient doctrine
OF an eye for an eye and a tooth for
q tooth is barbarous. l have before
me personal letter from Governor
DIX. dated December 10, 1912. He
writes:
am opposed to capital punish
ment It is one of the remnants of
the Biblical Injunction, "A life for a
life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth, and hand for a hand. We
nave done away with all of these ex-
cept the life for life,' ana believe
that society through the process of
law should take a life for a life. To
my mind the real punishment will
come If the capital cases are segre-
gated in prison by themselves. cut
on from the rest of the world, and
upon conviction no interference with
that sentence shall prevail"
Trying Time for Governor.
1t is generally known that the days
Immediately preceding an execution
are narrowing days tor the conscien-
tious governor. The last futile visits
or the relatives to the only person in
the world that can save the life of the
condemned, the persistent question
as to even the bare possibility of fnno-
cence. the grave doubt as to whether
the state should take life, the dread
that the execution may fail to kill
speedily; in short, all the horrible de-
tails of the deliberate killing Of be-
Ing that the religions of civilized ma
lions maintain is inhabited by an M
mortal soul-all these things press
upon him.
why should I be forced to ever
else the prerogative of almighty
God?" asks the chief executive.
/ recently made an exhaustive can
vass by letter of the chief executives
OF the states. the leading wardens
and superintendent of correctional
institutions and distinguished crimi-
nologists as to their attitude upon the
death sentence and its execution. I
wish to present some Of the striking
answers to that canvass today to the
readers of the Sun, for to the citizens
of this state will be surely brought,
either during the legislative session of
1913 or soon after, the definite cues
ton Shall capital punishment be
abolished in the state of New York;"
First. then. how do some of our gov
errors feel7
Gov Marshall of Indiana writes:
Il am in favor of the abolition of cap
ital punishment"
Gov Cruce of Oklahoma is opposed
to capital punishment for all crimes
except criminal assaults on women.
Legal executions" he says, ARE alb
solutely indefensible from the stand
point OF Christianity and modern high
er civilization. The time will come
when legal murders will be as unpop-
ular as midnight assassinations.
Gov. Pothier of Rhode Island writes
that capital punishment was abolished
in that state forty years ago, and he
is not in favor of it's establishment.
Gov. Burke of North Dakota is op-
posed to capital punishment, but is
not sure that we have arrived at the
stage of civilization when We can dis
pense with it altogether
TIoOtCy tOI SdPttdI TuT1tSNnIcnt:
On the other hand, Gov. Hadley of
Missouri says that he does not advo-
cate the abolition of capital punish.
ment. Il believe" says the governor.
"our Missouri system is the best.
which gives to the jury passing upon
the question of guilt the right to fix
the punishment at death or impris.
in the penitentiary for life."
And Gov Baldwin of Connecticut.
who personities the judicial humane
severity of attitude toward the GRIM
inal class. is firmly of the opinion
that capital punishment should not be
abolished. He writes as follows:
LAS you are doubtless aware. it has
been abolished in some states in for
mer years where it was found neces-
sary quite soon to reinstate it in or
der tc check the spread of crime.
Life Imprisonment under modern con
ditions in respect of the pardoning
power and credit for proper behavior
is not life imprisonment and is not
dreaded as such. Such crimes as
murder and rape should BE made
dreadful, then they will be dreaded
and avoided"
Gov. Mann of Virginia finds the death