The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1916-01-14
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.


Il ----------,-------
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
1t is source of deep regret that
the supreme court was under the
necessity Of holding that Gov. Rye's
veto of the Bowers bill to abolish
capital punishment came too late and
that this act is now valid law Of
the state. That at least is the effect
OF the courts ruling in similar case
involving identically the same points.
There has been and was not at the
time the act was passed any sort Of
public demand in Tennessee for the
abolition Of capital punishment Not
a dozen newspapers In the state urged
the passage Of the measure. On the
contrary a large majority Of the dis
terminating and intelligent papers OF
the state looked upon the suggestion
to abolish death as the penalty for
murder as a distinctly backward step,
one calculated to do infinite harm TO
the state.
Il Is merely stating what every one
familiar with the facts, knows to pc
true, to say this dill was the result
of an extensive, personal campaign Oh
one man, an immensely wealthy mer
chant Of Memphis, who sought q
measure Of fame through the avenue
Of abolishing capital punishment In
Tennessee. He contributed literally
70 this purpose. The members Of the
legislature were lobbied with ana I'M
nortuned to vote for the bill. Tney
Welded as only too often they DO to
the well organized and abundanuy
fortified lobby. The people were not
consulted; no political party demana-
ed this revolutionary change in the
criminal laws; not member Oh the
,ag;slature was elected upon pledge
to vote for the bill.
Tennessee is not yet far enousn
advanced If it ever win be. to abolish
the death penalty for the crime q
murder. There Is always a lot 100
much sentimental balderdash about
the murderer, too much maudlin SEN
timentality for the red-handed assas-
sin and always too little considera-
tion for the man sent to eternity
probably without warning or onense.
IN murder record Is a black one,
one Of the blacklist in the whole ely
iIized world. In the metropolis Of
Tennessee more murders in proper
ton to population were communion
,ast YEAR than were done in any city
IN ali the civilized world. Nashville's
record is but little better. We all
know that in Maury county human
life. which under all the laws o. God
and man is sacred, Is altogether 700
cheap. It Is a common thing for tne
red-handed murderer to Walk tne
highways unwhipped Of justice.
! This change will unfortunately en-
! courage mob law. Where cold-blood-
ed deliberate and premeditated muir
der is committed even life sentence
in the penitentiary will not be sum
cient to stay the hands OF the MOP
l Az 4 matter Of fact in practice q lie
sentence in the state prison Is almost
unknown. It is not often that a MUIR
derer gets life sentence. very, very
seldom that he serves It, There are
men in this state, who with the fear
Of death as the penalty removed, VIII
not hesitate to take all the many
chances of escape or pardon, and ruth
lessly slay their fellow man either
without provocation or for q price.
This act should be repealed and hu-
man life should once more be made
sacred in Tennessee. What we need
in this state is not change in our
criminal laws, but the enforcement OF
the criminal laws, their execution
against all, rich and poor, high and
low and the murderer especially