revenge, and the object, the infliction ofprin and evil upon the criminal as a retribution for the crime. Thus we find this besides the present methods, torture of various kinds and degrees was often considered a legitimate and effective pun ishment. But now, on the contrary, in most civ ilized communities the generally recognized and avowed motive for punishment of criminals is the good of society, never revenge : and the object the prevention of crime, and never the infliction or re tribution. This is true, however, only of the more liberal, enlightened, thoughtful citizen of the different nations, for many of the more ignorant, bigoted and thoughtless still retain the idea of re venge and retribution in thinking and speaking of criminal punishments. This is most clearly shown in the common expressions regrading the gravest crimes. Mingled with the morbid and sen sational sentiment surrounding a modern murder trial Are often heard the remarks, "He ought to hang," "He deserves hanging," etc. The ques tions "IS it good for society to hang this man ?" and "Will it prevent similar crimes in the fu ture?" seem to be seldom considered by those who talk loudest and mildest at such times. Nev ertheless, I believe that the calm and considerate judgement of the majority of enlightened and civilized individuals would condemn as unworthy the motive and object, revenge and retribution. When the time comes that the most ignorant and bigoted will do the same, we may feel that civili zation has made strides indeed, and that the so cial life of the people has reached a higher and nobler plane than it has ever before occupied. Still higher in the development of civilization will come the time, now heralded by an increas ing number of careful and earnest students of so ciolology, when crime will be considered a con tagious and malignant disease of man's moral na ture, needing an expert's careful diagnosis •and treatment just as his physical weaknesses are now thought to need the physician's attention. Then, too, it will be seen that society should maintain a sanitary inspection of the moral sur TIM FREE LANCE,. roundings of men, and especially of the young, as now it does of their physical halittations. But to make moral sanatation effective some change in the social order must be effected such that the' majority of men shall no longer be. condemned to unremitting toil and poverty, the most potent of all causes of crime then may the axe of extermina tion be driven deep into the giant.tree of crime and the world of human beings look upon a bright er and happier day than ever before. To introduce our subject proper, let me quote from an earnest advocate of capital punishment to show the grounds upon which our opponents debate the question. "If human governments have no right to take life in any case, capital punishment. is judicial murder; or if it can -be shown that there is a more effective method of pre venting crime, the same conclusion follows."* I shall not oppose the institution on the grounds of the first part of the quotation although I think it might be plausibly argued that the only "right" that governments can claim in the case is the right of force or of might ; but it might be said that is the only source of other government "rights;" and therefore that imprisonments and other puish ments are equally objectionable. I shall there fore dismiss this argument with the observation that human life is, or should be, so sacred that the taking of it as a punishment ought to be resist- . ed until after the most careful and deliberate investigation shall have proved less severe penal ties inadequate, whereas the fact is that modern states will probably cling to the old custom until the investigation is Made to prove other penalties sufficient, thus reversing the order that humanita rian sentiments and consideration would dictate. On the grounds of the second part of the except tion will we make the appeal against the execu= tion of any criminal. But let us change theword ing of that statement, though probably not the real meaning of the author. Let us rather say that if any other method is just as effect/vein pre venting crime, then is capital punishment judi cial murder. • More than that, I urge that any
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