Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-22
PUNISHMENT OF CRIMINALS
lDuhuoue

PUNISHMENT OF CRIMINALS
dubuque Telesraph-Heraid.j
1here has foated into Dubuque from
AflaIRosa news Of such o ~rs.sSanS
case OF d~epravity and even more nau-
seating tolerance on the BART OF the
respectable people OF the community
as is scarcely believable OF a people
VINO pride themselves on and who are
noted Tor their civilization and educa-
ton.
The story a +, that a girl lust en-
'ering her teens became the ~property
OF the men and even young boys Of the
town, that she was practically ped
oled about the town. Il is asserted
several grown men. some of them mar
RED, were Implicated in the child's de-
ilhquency, participated in her debauch-
cry. Be that as IL may, one young man
was indicted The case was 50 pla,n
against him that no entered 4 plea of
guilty and was sentanced by the court
The length OF the term OF ssntsucs-
there Is no interest IN that,
ust here 10 where the peonls Of IN.
h respectables, con-
b their part to the whole un-
speakable thing. The young man who
vas in the tolls is said to have let II
be known tina. IL he was to paw the
penalty for his SHORTCOMINGS he would
make a clean breast OF all he knew
about the delinquency OF the child and
who contributed to her
cry. Immediately there came TO his as
sistance some OF the most highly re-
spectacle people OF the community. per
sons prominent socially. They pleaded
with the u and finally succeeded in
having senteis2e suspended and the
young MAJ paroled in charge of one Of
the friends.
The question is, Was it the threat
OF the young mar 10 tell all he knew
that brought such powerful influence
TO zeal in his behalf?" And again.
Did these people set the kind OF ex-
ample they are supposed to set?'
Punishment Of criminals is not in
tende so much as punishment OF the
particular individual as 1t is to be q
deterrent. The knowledge that dis
covery Of the commission of a crime
Will bring certain punishment is cal
culated to have a wholesome effect on
ones inclined to commit crime. A Sc
we're. blow has been dealt the morality
Of Anamosa and Jones county In this
case, II 1t has been correctly reported.
Traffic in women is probably the
greatest sin OF the age. We have
state laws which r. adequate for
curbing hat tendency, If the laws
were properly enforced. But this in
stance, and there are probably many
similar ones in the state, indicates
the laws are not enforced. How Diff
ferentiy 1t Is with the federal govern
ment. The Mann act and the many
persons who nave bee made to pay
full penalty under its provisions tell
the story.
Again It is pertinent to remark that
II you must offend some law let 1t be
a state law. but don't be so foolish as
to tinker with the laws written on
Uncle Sans statute books.
STANTON GUILTY, BUT RIGHT.
[Sioux City Trtbune.]
The Iowa legislature OF 1915 unques-
tionably did a useful thing In restrict
Ing anonymous propaganda. In pur-
uance of that law proper action was
taken a few days ago In arresting L.
w. Stanton. who was distributing un-
signed attacks on a bill now pending.
Mr.. Stanton says that he did not know
his method constituted a violation OF
law and probably tells the truth. 1t Is
safe to say that a majority Of Iowans,
under similar circumstances. could
tr%uthfully make the same admission.
While Mr.. Stanton was guilty OF q
technical violation against a state law
the fact remains hat he was attacking
g. vicious bill with cold logic. His Of
tense consisted merely in negIecting to
| sign his lame. The circulars contained
no statements which he would hest
tate to sign and he refratned from
signing because he thought the circu
lars would carry more weight with the
legislators in that form.
The circular attacks were directed
against house bill 406, recently re-
ferred to in the Tribune, which seeks
to put the control Of telegraph and
telephone companies and lighting
plants with the state railroad commits
sion. Mr.. Stanton Is connected Will
an independent telephone company
and realizes that the proposed plar
would work to the eventual advan-
tages of the telephone monopoly AM
put the independent companies out o.
business. Unless the independents
have a right to continue competitive
rates they are at a manifest disadvan.
tage in competition with the big con
Germ.
In one Of the circulars Issued q
members OF the legislature Mt stan