Semi-weekly herald., 1914-01-08
ABETrING CRIME.

That the growing disposition in
some sections Of this country to show
undue leniency to criminals is the di-
rect cause of the alarming increase of
homicides and other crimes scarcely
admits of doubt. California, as well
as Arizona, is experiencing the evil
of this vicious sentimentality. A case
in California, where notorious Grim
inal, with a record of numerous rob-
berries, who pleaded guilty and was
given short sentence, which can be
reduced by good conduct" has call
ed forth a vigorous protest from the
San Francisco Chronicle, which says;
"1he professionals thoroughly un-
derstand the value of good conduct
in prison as a means of shortening
terms and attend strictly to business.
Bastian seems to be unusually bright
for criminal and will very likely
turn out to be thoroughly reformed"
and an applicant for parole" as
soon as the law will allow He has
made a lot of money by robbery and
can well afford to put in year or
TWO in the kindly atmosphere of one
Of our penitentiaries.
1t is true that majority of the
very young men who are committed
for the first time to our penitentiar-
les arc capable under proper influ-
enee and diseipline--with emphasis
on the discipline-of being made over
into good citizens. Too much pains
cannot be taken to prevent them from
drifting into the criminal class.
But of the reformation of profess
ionais like Bastian there is so little
hope that society can afford to take
but the minimum of risk. When
aught they should be removed from
society for the longest period possible
There is no doubt that the rapid
increase of crime in California, and
especially in this city, is one of the
consequences of the outpourings of
sentimental mush with which this
state has been deluged. 1t has low
cred the virility Of the whole com
munity It is affecting our courts.
1t is an encouragement to crime. IL
favors secret leagues with the Grim
inal classes for coin on the part of
those employed to enforce the laws.
II gives US the reputation of a rnushy
ard neurotic community into which
the professionals may come with
more safety than anywhere else in
the beli-i that, should they by mis-
take Of themselves or others unfor-
tunately get caught, the worst that
can happen to them will be a short
period of detention in pleasant
home, where things will be made as
agreeable as possible and an early
discharge given on a promise to be
good.
This theory is. historically justi-
fled. An era Of mush has been in
variably accompanied by an era of
crime. 1t is not the only penalty
which we must pay for our orgy of
sentimentalism, but it is one of the
manifestations Globe.
What applies to Arizona and Cali
fornia is equally true in Colorado. No
matter how atrocious the crime nine
out of ten men escape just punish
ment. Law technicalities either
cause them to get off with light sent
ence or escape altogether, or at least
delay justice many years as per Hen
wood. When it becomes certain that
a man who kills another in cold blood
is going to be hanged then there will
be less shooting scrapes. 1t is not
much satisfaction to kill man and
turn about and be hung for it. The
reason is because those who do the
killing feel they can escape the gal
lows.