The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1915-02-26

Dc lclL WHOlly WlIuOuI plotCCbioi; p"I
his lordship's fears have not been JUS
titled in England"
The death penalty has been abol-
ished in Rhode Island since 1852;
Michigan since 1S47; Maine since
1887; Wisconsin for quite number OF
years; Kansas since 1907; Holland
since 1860; Saxony since 1858; Bel
GUM since 1881. 1t has been abolished
in Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway,
Denmark, Portugal and elsewhere.
The average number Of homfcides
committed in the states where the
death penaltylhas been abolished is far
below those committed in the states
that still retain capital punishment.
The Governor of Maine during 1914
states: "The sentiment of our people
is now so strong against capital pun
ishment, that it may be safely assumed
that it will never again be enacted in
Maine"
The Governor of Michigan stated:
$50 far as this office knows, no con-
certed effort has been made at any
time within twenty or twenty-five
years to reinstate capital punishment,
the general opinion prevailing that the
laws of this state, Furnishing by I'M
prisonment for high crimes, are salts
lNfactory."
The Governor of Kansas-"There Is
general satisfaction with the present
law. There is absolutely no question
| AI... % IN, fol
Punishment"
The Governor of Wisconsin-"The
effects of the abolition of capital pun
ishment in this state have been so sat
isfactory that no effort has been made
to>return to the old method OF punish
ment"
II the experiences of the states that
have not now the death penalty is
such, then how can one keep from feel
ing that capital punishment is not nee
essary as deterrent to crime?
The experience is that lite imprison-
ment is as great deterrent as is need
ed for the protection of society. This
being the case, the death penalty is
unnecessary, and is, therefore, legal
lied murder if practiced
Some hold up England as an exam
pie, without really knowing a good
many of the facts in the case. People
there are forced to respect the law.
Not only the law against murder, but
all laws. Frederick L. Hoffman, the
insurance statistical expert on homi-
cides, committed in the U. S. A., says:
"The problem of murder in it's final
analysts is to considerable extent a
question of the effective regulation OF
the sale and possession of dangerous
weapons and dangerous drugs"
That answers the question Of the
cause Of why so few homicides are
committed in England. There they do
not permit nearly every Tom Dick and
Harry to go stalking around with a six
shooter in his pocket. An officer OF
the law hasn't even that privilege.
asked policeman in London why they
didn't carry "billies" there like they
do in the United States; he said, 1--WE
are not permitted to carry them"
said, "You carry pistol, do you not%
And the man looked at me in aston
ishment. He said, mo; we carry nc
weapons of any kind"
When we practice capital punish
ment | believe we are retaining relic
of barbarism that has no place in this
day Of charity, enlightenment and
brotherIy love.
Montague says: "It is more bar
barous to kill a live man than to roas
, and eat dead one"
AT the Hague in Holland while beinf
shown through an old prison ant
shown the instruments of torture the!
| used way back yonder, when they triet
to be four or five days In torturin!
: one to death, wondered which the,
| do now, hang or electrocute, and ! in
auired, What mode Of capital pun
? ishment do you now user" The guild
: said, "Why, we do not put people L
death now-we did that back in GU
q barbarous times"
! The innocent are sometimes put t
/ death for crime committed by ar
!, other-only three weeks ago (thi
( Ian. 81, 1879 man on his death be-
: in California confessed to a crime TO
r which another was hanged in Chicag
: seven years ago. The innocent ma
; being hanged, the state now has n
}, way of taking back It's awful mistake
S Two weeks ago negro was pal
# doned from a life sentence in this stat
l. after having served ten years, fiv
months and three days for Grim
|. committed by another. never saw
e happier face in my life than sa7
when this poor negro, without Ger
d in his pocket, came to my back doc
$ to tell Of his gratitude and his thanl
i fulness in, being restored to his III