The New York herald., 1921-11-13
Awaits End of Crime Wave
Before Urging Bill Agair

beTOre Urging BIZ Again
In speaking OF new campaign to abol-
ish the death penalty Senator Boylan said
that he had been in the past year receiving
encouraging letters and offers of assistance
from societies doing humanitarian and
welfare work all over the State. That he
did not bring up the bill again or en-
deavor to introduce a similar one was
because he thought, the time inauspicious.
while the crime wave has been sweep
ing the country, as observers have said Is
always the case following great war;
said the Senator, seemed a poor time to
try to lessen any punishment or to weaken
the penal code by softening measure.
Mems minds are not as usual thing ready
to listen to such reforms under these cir.
cumstances.
But we are not discouraged and we hope
to bring New York into the van of progres.
sive States. The Society for the Abolition
of the Death Penalty of Buffalo, the SO.
ciety of Friends of New York. ex-Assem.
blyman William Pellet, Sheriff David
Knott, Mrs. Henry Willard, Mrs. Grace
Humiston, Mrs. Pauline o. Field and many
other societies and individuals who aided
us in our fight in 1920 have assured us of
their continued support and we are only
awaiting favorable opportunity to begin
over again.
Whoever has followed the subject in
other States and in other countries real
ICES that the history Of capital punishment
shows an evolution toward the gradual re-
strction of its use everywhere, and this
will think it must-lead gradually to its
abolishment.
THE six great reasons for the abolish
ment of the death penalty have figured in
our campaign since the beginning of our
activity. but they have not lost force by
reiteration. And as a fact they have ac-
quired added force by new instances oc-
curing in this and other States where this
barbarism still prevails"
The reasons given by Senator Boylan are:
1. Capital punishment does not deter
commission of murder. There are
fewer murders per capita in States
which have abolished the death SEN
tence
2. Innocent persons have been ex-
ecuted and are liable to be, for per-
jured evidence is always possibility
When such persons are killed by the
State the latter becomes murderer
of the worst kind.
8. Two or more men organized un.
der form of government have no more
right to take life than one man has.
4. Capital punishment is relic of
barbarism and, to>abolish it would be
step forward
5. Capital punishment deprives the
criminal of the one thing due which
civilized society owes its criminals
the chance for spiritual reformation
and expiation to prepare for the here
after.
6. Life Imprisonment is a severer
and juster punishment for a murderer
than to be given early his earthly
quietus.
It is Senator Boylans conviction that
unless New York State shall hasten to get
into line it will be among the last of the
civilized parts of the earth to retain this
barbarous form Of executing the law.
Everywhere it is seen that repugnance
grows to capital punishment and wherever
it is left to jury death sentence is sell
dom passed. Almost invariably, If 1t be
left to them, jury will make murderer's
sentence life imprisonment This dis
tinctly shows what is the frame of mind
of the ordinary citizen. 1t is opposed to