Newark post., 1913-01-15
PEOPLES COLUMN
WHIPPING POST
Conner Makes Second Defense
Editor of The Post :

Editor Of The Post:
II seems that my feeble shafts have
penetrated the armor of the Sage Of Iron
Hill, and, judging from his reply, the
- tingling is within his own epidermis.
am not conscious Of any "tingling'
before or since. My only feeling is of
regret that one, who champions what he
regards as worthy cause, should de-
scend to such fallacioUs argument, and
shall ] say, bitterness.
The different types of reformers of
which | spoke, were conspicuously pre-
sent in the momentous year which has
just cndeh, but did not intend to apvr
them personally or parties.,,it frrnarf omo ~
+q,,s,a, I.f,..a -. ese,.-=f "'''' '''
1uineu' ci'''r eNs'T1'i'i 's'1ii that he assumes them
to himself, | can only express regret.
Perhaps | have committed Iese majeste,
and should be hanged, drawn and quar-
tered. But only those of wealth We're
so punished, and am neither rich nor
a friend of the rich.
Since the sole and only reason | com
mented on the article in question was be-
cause Of the fallacy of its conclusion.
will confne myself principally to that
phase. Mr.. Washburn says | am illogic
al aud he asks for logic. reply that it
, is he who is Illogical. and | will supply
logic.
/ Admitting for the sake of argument
/ (Which distinctly do not) that his prem
ise is correct that wealthy men escape
the whipping post, let us supply the logic.
/ In nutshell, his contention is: Wealthy
men escape the whipping post there
/ fore, abolish the whipping post. Let us
extend the reasoning to other forms of
( punishment. Wealthy men escape prison
sentences; therefore, abolish the pals /;
wealthy men escape execution, therefore
abolish execution. In this manner and by
this logic we could soon DO away with
all punishment.
The faIIacy of the argument lies in
the confounding of cause and effect. Ii
you should be struck on the heal by a
stone. or would you blame the stone, OF
the one who threw it. The post stands
ready to receive all who are sentenced to
it, rich and poor alike. The Sheriff will
apply the lash iudiscriminately. Where
then. lies the fault, if the contention be
true! Distinctly not in the manner OF
punishment, the whipping post, any NOR,
than any other form of punishment, but
farther back, at the time Of sentence
either in the defect of law, or the sub
seryiency of courts. Why blame it ol
the whipping post! Why not work OF
the law or courts so that wealthy as wei
as poor shall receive their punishment!
Mr.. Washburn asks me to name som
wealthy man who has been whipped Thi
is not material nor is it necessary TO
(for argument S sake,) | have agree,
they are not. But on what basis does h
make the assertion! Has he examine
the court records of Delaware Eve don
care what the Romans did,, or has h
simply assumed this as fgment of til
imagination, He dwells on the fact tina
:, have admitted that the wealthy es
cape. | made no such assertion. lnval
iabIy ! used the phrase ''If the wealth
escape. ! can not recall the name O
anyone, rich or poor, who has been whil
ped. Perhaps others can, ard until
, have proof, ! prefer to believe in the il
tegrity of the courts, and to assume tha
they treat rich and poor alike.
The reason Delaware is so "compar;
lively calm and peaceful - is because Q
the deterring effect of the whipping pos
Mr.. Washburn says | argue with tn
fervor characteristic of my class. TIL
is the most unkind cut of ALL al
neither rich nor are my friends wealth.
but, at least, ! am above arraying IL
!, poor against the rich. BY the way, VIII;
is demagogue, anyway. The prop'
ground on which to attack the whippir
post is on its so-called inhumanity.
; "With the fervor characteristic of h
l class Governor Pennewin only fe
: days ago commended the whipping pos
Z Evidently he had not read the articles
: The Post. Sic transit gloria mundi.
ke,rurI M II " TouUpr