The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-04-04

This enormous growth of crime
strange to say. has occurred in spite
OF much effort to control it. The gov.
ernment seems to be fully aware OF
the danger, and has devoted a large
part OF Its revenue for it's suppression
Countless millions are annually spen,
for the maintenance of court houses
jails, penitentiaries, reformatories, anG
millions more for salaried officers
judges. jailors. sheriffs, constables
magistrates. Jurors, etc. Nor is thi:
all: The various religious denomina.
tions of the country, as well as the
State, spend vast sums for the educa.
ton of the young, not only for their
intellectual improvement, but with q
hope |of promoting morals and les
sening crime.
Churches too with their millions
Of mebers, contribute large sums of
money and enormous personal energy
for the promotion of piety and worth,
but in spite of these incalculable ef-
forts to restrain 1t, the criminal class
Is increasing five times as fast as the
normal. While the state has unre-
mittingly punished criminals, 1t has
done so only after the commission O:
crime. No effort has been made for
its prevention beyond the deterrent ef-
feet that may be caused by the spec
tacle of penalties inflicted. But this
deterrent eeffct is largely overcome b.
the numerous avenues of escape offer
ed by the employment Of shrewd le-
sal advisers. The intricate maze of
technicaiities involved In the admin
istration Of law makes punishment
far from certain, as every criminal
knows. g.;
The fallibility of law seems to be
az antidote for it's terrors 1t is
doubtful If public worship has much
restraining effect on the growth of
crime. for the reason that the real
criminal class Is scarcely ever reach
ed by church influence. For example:
F1fty-four per cent. of the population
OF Massachusetts arc members OF
some church, while there are only
forty-fve per cent in South Carolina.
yet there are twcnty-three criminois
In Massachusetts, to every ten thou
sand. and only ten in South Carolina.
North Carolina has fewer church
members in proportion to it's popula-
ton, than any OF eighteen States given
In the census OF 1906, having n
church membership ofNforty per cent.
II has only six criminals in ten thou
sand. while Rhode Island with q poy-
Of fifty-four per cent. OF
church members. has fourteen to ten
thousand population. Likewise Ala .
bama with twelve criminals in ten
thousands, is 1913 per cent. religious
while New York has ,siXtecn criminals
to ten thousand, being 4s.7 per cent.
religious, and many moro such proofs
could be given did time allow.
The influence OF education is oven
less marked, ssachusetts has more
than twice the number OF criminals
In proportion to It's population, Is
South Carolina, although it has but
90 per cent. OF illiteracy, while South
Carolina has 25.7 per cent, New York
has nearly three times the number of
criminals as North Carolina, yet the
illiterates are only 5.5 per cent. while
North Carolina has 1875 per cent
Alabama has fower criminals than
Rhode Island. although she has 2O.7
per cent. illiteracy, while Rhode Is
land has only IL per cent. -.s. 3.
Now gentlemen. IL the United States
census reports are at all trustworthy
they show conclusivoly that while the
~ptt'Sf law NHuiCilSS ttuU tle SIIIOOl.
may exert some modifying influence
upon crime, they are powerless to
prevent its growth. They polish his
manners, broaden his intellect. but fail
TO perfect his morals. Unless soma
more powerful agent than the cour,
the church, or the school is employed
70 combat crime. q simple mathc.
matical calculation will show how
long 1t will be before our nationaI
status will be on par with Mexico
and Hayti, when we will no longer be
capable of self government. But
believe that such an agent does ex.s
and that 1t can be effectually used &
keep the growth Of the criminal clac.
within reasonable limits.
refer to the law of heredity. If &
proper use would be made by the stat,
Of the power which heredity gives
crime colIld he epormorcI,, dooroo,o =