The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-07-29
BREEDING
CRIMINAL" S"
. SAYS AMIDON
Declares Medern System Of
Punishment Barbarous
Says There Should Never Be
Another Jail Built
Three Great Reforms Step IN
Right Direction

go, N. D., who delivered the address
of the evening at the sixth annual BAN
quet Of the bar association at the
Spalding hotel here. & "a
Judge An1idon took for his subject,
The Criminal Law and Its Administra-
ton. The speaker deplored the pres
ent administration of criminal law and
declared that former President: Taft
was correct in asserting that the GRIM
inal law as administered in the United
States was disgrace to civilization.
.Travel in any country in Europe" he
said, "and you will be told that we are
stepping back into barbarism."
But bad as it may seem, dark as
the picture is," declared the speaker
"yet I believe that we have signs of
encoura cement" He then made refer
ence to the three great reforms-the
Juvenile court, the parole and the inde-
terminate sentence, declaring that they
were contributions to the worlds best
thought and practice on this great
subject. "Of course he said, those
are by no means perfect as yet. This
is because we have not yet developed
an experienced administrative body
which is capable OF carrying out the
plans"
Insanity Pleas.
The judge gave as an example OF the
crude administration of criminal law
at the present time a murder case in
which insanity is made an issue by the
defense 'It is insane from the exam
ination of jurors to the charge of the
court. 1t is insane in the examination
of experts on insanity. 1t is as insane
for q jury of twelve laymen to pass
upon question of insanity in a Grim
tnal case as it would be for them to
attempt a difficult surgical operation"
The medical science, declared the
fSrhlls has tla.
subject Of penology. It has gone into
| the causes of crime, he said, "and i'll
some cases we are now able to say
what measures ought to be adopted to
prevent recurrence. Scientific inquiry.
which has been conducted in mum
Der of states, has disclosed that crime
| is a biological rather than a legal
problem. We find that today we are
breeding crime as accurately as a
| farmer breeds Holstein cattle
Statistics show that 25 per cent of
\ the men in our prisons are feeble
minded and that they are suffering
| from mental weakness. Many others
are the progeny of habitual drunkards,
Idiots and insane.
| Breed True to Type.
| THE insane, the epileptic, the ha-
bitual drunkard, and the feeble minded
breed true to the type. In an eastern
state, a scientific research developed
| that 646 feeble minded people could be
| traced back to a common parent who
| was afflicted with insanity
| Golden Rule Jones Of Toledo, who
hung the motto, "A Criminal Act Does
| Not Make Criminal over his desk
4 demonstrated the truth of his asser-
4 .tion. After his death, in the safety
deposit vault was found a list of ia
names of men whom he had helped or
i their appeal when on the verge o1
crime. All but two proved faithful tc
their trust. The list was destroyed
!, according to the wishes of Colder
i Rule Jones, who only wanted to prove
the truth Of his motto. #
TN the courtroom, criminal aci
/ does make a criminal. 1t, is the duty
of the judge to brand man as such
4 In most cases, especially with the firs'
offender, 1T Is the worst thing he has
ever done in his life and yet the couT5
brands him a criminal and declares
to the world that the judgment is u
true index to his character"
i The speaker declared that criaainaII
snculd be treated as individuals, II
such way SO as to first prsTect so.
i ciety, the supreme end always to bs
I obtained, and second to protect thu
rights of the Individual sThe court
he said "has no right to indulge il
4 sentinentality. If imprisonment viii
best serve the purpose and protect the
| rights of society, then let it be i'm.
i prisonment, Ii parole will do it, ther
1 let it be parole.
40 Per Cent Return.
Judge Amidon declared that 40 pei
4 cent of the men sent to a penitentiars
return again and that the same |.
true In England and in European
countries. 1T is as well established
as fact, as small pox Isl as con.
tagious disease" " he said.
The city and county jails," thu
i jurist declared, are but schools fol
Il the criminal into which first offend
/ ers and those charged with misde,
meanors are forced to mingle amons
4 criminals and felons, to remain in alb.
i solute idleness and to think and broos
over their wrongs.
.fThere ought not to be another city
4 or county jail built In the country. IN,
stead a small structure to restrain
i people who are held for serious Of
i fenses without bail. The trial ough
Il fendant is found guilty, he should bt
4 sentenc to the proper institution. /
4 he is tlrunkard, let him be sent 1,
q an institution which is equipped Il
d handle such cases, if he lis feebl
minded let him be committed to th
Il proper place. and lit a. first offende
llet him be dealt accordingly.
sThe coming OF the Juvenile court
4 the parole and the undetermined
sentence, speak the highest word d
hope and lis a great step forward ii
q the right direction. 1t Is dealing wit
y crime In it's causes ss