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The Commoner.
3(
APRIL 11, 1913 '
to bo charged is determined every three years so
that the bank will not receive at any time more
than, an average of 3 per cent on the capital in
vested. All loans are made for a period not to exceed
six months, at the end of which time unredeemed
pledges are sold at public auction, all articles
for redemption being publicly exhibited two days
before the proposed sale. If" the bid for an
article to bo sold is not deemed sufficient to
cover the loan on it, it is withdrawn and put
up at a later auction, or sold privately, unless
it proves to be hopelessly worthless. All
purchasers have to pay in addition to their bid
5 per cent to cover the costs of the sale. If
an article be sold for a higher price than the
amount advanced on it, including interest and
administration expenses, the surplus is returned
to the original owner, if claimed; otherwise it
escheats to the bank.
From one of the latest reports of the mu
nicipal pawn-shop of Amsterdam, it appears that
1,140,838 articles were pawned in one year, or
more than 2 pieces for each inhabitant, repre
senting a' total value of $1,947,616.55. Among
those pledges. were found a large amount of old
clothing and bedding; 3,427 sewing machines,
1,325 bicycles, and 106 pianos and organs.
The institution is very useful for people of
very limited means, who often need money at
a moment's notice and can only get it in this
way. The loans are usually made to people
who have no credit. Bankers would not make
them at any rate of interest, and ordinary loan
sharks would require from 25 to 50 per cent. It
also protects the public against considerable
small thievery, as pawnshops are the common
dumping-ground for stolen wares. Government
officials would also be more likely to report a
suspected thief than a cut-throat pawn-broker,
who sees profit in taking stolen goods at 25 per
cent of their real value.
Death Penalty and Holy Writ
"BROTHER JOIIN!"
We've seen it stated so often that it has
grown stale that "one touch" of nature makes
the whole world kin." The "touch of nature"
descended upon Omaha on the evening of Easter
Sunday. And recently there came into the
World-Herald office a Chinaman, who modestly
failed to leave his name. He did leave, how
ever, $120, and with it a little note "In token
of sympathy with the tornado sufferers. From
the Omaha Chinese."
God bless you, John Chinaman, with your
yellow skin, your slant eyes, and your inscrut
able face with its thousands of years of sad and
patient racial history behind it! Our white
man's money has gone out to your own people
in times when the great turbulent floods went
pouring over China's teeming plains. Our mis
sionaries have penetrated the vastnesses of your
ancient civilization preaching that you are our
brothers, too. Nevertheless the idea never quite
got under our skins, we must confess. But it's
there now. We've mocked your pigeon English
and your mincing steps and your pig tails
and dreaded you a bit, too, even as we mocked.
We've speculated on "thG yellow peril" and
read, in the lurid magazines, of how your deft,
long fingers were itching to plunge into our
very vitals and tear out our hated hearts. We've
idly wondered if you really did despise us as
you washed our linen and served us your chop
suey and performed your menial tasks with that
enigmatic smile forever on your lips.
It's different now. The whole world is kin,
after all. That $120, earned nickel by nickel;
that little note, "In token of sympathy for the
tornado sufferers, from the Omaha Chinese," has
taught us more tnan wo could learn from many
ponderous volumes. You're Brother John,
.after all. Omaha World-Herald.
TO MY DOQ
They call thee cur, and wrong thee with th
name!
An epithet thou never didst deserve!
A mean, low conjured word men use to serve
Expression of contempt and guilty shame.
What they call cowardice in thee I blame
To careless ignorance and false reserve
Of thy real character; the bent and curve.
Of "thy true nature men can 'not defame.
Thou art but beast; but God hath made thee so;
And no strange motive did he thus Intend;
For thou wert made a beast that men might
know
Their higher tempers, and still hold a friend!
If men could see their souls debased, they'd
choose
Thy safe condition with no soul to lose!
C. Wiles Hallock in Our Dumb Animals.
Following is an address by Dr. II. A. Hughes
on tho subject of "Capital Punishment," beforo
the county medical society at Phoenix, Ariz.
It was of special interest on tho evo of a cam
paign for tho abolition of tho death penalty in
Arizona.
Mr. Toastmaster and Gentlemen of the Pro
fession: Just why your program committeo
should ask mo to doliver an address on tho
subject of capital punishment at a meeting like
this and a festal occasion whore the speeches
are usually convivial in nature, I hardly under
stand. However, as it is his to command and
mine to obey, I will give you a few thoughts on
tho subject of "Thou Shalt Not Kill."
Tho frequency with which this one sentenco
is used lately would lead ono to beliovo that
some of our learned men had been reading tho
Bible, were it not that thoy get so badly mixed
'in the application of this commandment.
What is meant by it? Does it mean that
"Thou Shalt Not Kill for Food?" Does it mean
"Thou Shalt Not Kill Wild and Forocious Ani
mals?" No; for tho same great Law-giver
directs that these shall bo killed. Then does
it mean that men shall not bo executed for
crime? It certainly does not mean anything of
the kind, for the sarao Law-giver tells us that
this shall be done, and prescribes tho various
ways of taking tho life of tho murderer.
For tho benefit of those gentlemen who quote
this one commandment so glibly, I will give a
few quotations found within a few pages of
this ono, in tho same book and given by tho
same Law-giver through which this command
ment Is given. It says: "Whoso killeth any
person, tho murderer shall bo put to death."
(Numbers 35, 30.) Moreover, "Yo shall take
no satisfaction for tho life of a murderer which
is guilty of death, but ho shall surely bo put to
death. The land can not be cleansed of the
blood that is Bhed therein but by the blood of
him that shed it." (Numbers 35, 31.) In an
other place the same Law-giver says, "Thou
shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto
him, nor conceal him, but thou shalt surely
kill him. Thou shalt stono him till ho die."
(Deut. 13, 8.) (Deut. 19, 11.) Again ho says,
"But if any man hate his neighbor and lie In
wait for him and rise up against him and
smite him mortally till he die, then the elders
of the city shall send and fetch him thence and
deliver him unto tho hand of tho avenger of
blood that he may die." (Deut. 21, 22,)
Again, "If a man have committed a sin
worthy of death, and he bo put to death, and
thou hang him on a tree," etc., etc. (Deut.
21 22.)
"And if ho smite him with an instrument of
iron, so that ho die, he is a murderer. Tho
murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he
smite him with an hand weapon of wood where
with he may die, ho is a murderer. Tho mur
derer shall surely put to death. Or if in enmity
he smite him with his hand, that he die, he that
smote him shall be surely put to death, for he
is a murderer." (Numbers 36, 16-21.) Many
more quotations might be given from tho book
that says "Thou shalt not kill," which proves be
yond a doubt that murder, and not execution
.of a murderer is meant. Now, would it not be
fair for the gentlemen who attempt to quote
scripture in order to bolster up a pre-concelved
notion that they have nurtured until it has be
come a good sized fad, to not take every ono
else to bo as ignorant of the book as they them
selves seem to be. They attempt to quote Christ,
and show the same ignorance of his teachings as
of the teaching of Moses. An ex-governor says
that Moses went over into tho land of Canaan
and killed nearly all the people there, while tho
book teaches that Moses was only permitted to
view the land from Pisgah's heights.
Christ taught that the wages of Lin is death;
he taught the docrine of eternal punishment,
which is more severe than hanging by the neck
until dead. He taught in almost every sen
tence the law of rewards and punishments. He
gave us tho parable of unworthy servant. The
law of reward and punishments is a part of
every nature, the babe at mother's breast is
taught that if it does right it will be rewarded
by kisses' and caresses, if It does wrong it will
get a' spanking. The trainers, of lower animals
accomplish results In the same way. Man should
do right because it is right, ho should refrain
from doing wrong because it is wrong, and
some people make that the rule of life. We
hope the day will come when all will do like
wise, but when they do it will be that glorious
day when tho Hon and lamb shall lie down tor i
gother without tlio larao uemg insiuo mo Jiua t
Some say that because crlmo la increasing
(especially murdors) it Is proof positive tit fl
capital punishment doos not deter the criminal!
1 believe that every ono who has given tho mat'
tor worthy thought will doformlno at once tha
it is tho manner in which our laws aro oxecuttf
that Is responsible for tho increaso in crlmtj
or rather tho lack of execution. It is my humbly
judgment that If ovory ono was hung who com (
mltted the crimo of murder tho hangman couh
soon take a rest. Tho criminal in court has
11-12 tho advantage to bogin with. Suppose t
man commits a cold-blooded murdor: ho is ar
rested and tried beforo an examining court i
if it says ho Is guilty, and ho is bound over tf
tno granu jury. j noro, unui laioiy in in
state, three men out of olghteon could relea tf
him from custody. There he has thrco again
ilfteon. Tho case goes beforo tho district o L
superior court, and tho challenges ho has o m
jurors often makos tho case a farco. Thai
when the twelvo men hear tho evidenco ono mai
can hang the jury in his favor and the case wil
probably never bo retried ho is scott free oi
one man's vote, although cloven men vote hlu
guilty. But Biippose ho Is found guilty. Thi
case is taken beforo tho supremo court and oj
some technicality ho is given a now trial. Bi
time for tho new trial somo of tho importaa 4
witnesses aTo gono and ho Is freed. But sup
pose he is found guilty and sentenced to hang
some governor with moro sentiment than ra
gard for law, by ono dash of his pen sets him a ;
liberty. And tins is tlio History or many; uu
miii1nrnT 1ifnMtf anoonnAnA n thwnrMnflT til'
law once, Is moro bold in crimo, because twl
feels that he has just learned tho combination'
In England, where few murderers escapv
nvnnuHnn Mm oHtrtn nf mnnlnr in mm Irw1rf1
The courts did not civilize California; it iraf1
tho vigilantees. When nine bad men were hum
from tho pier at ono time, San Francisco wai,
made so a man could walk down the stroot with
out much fear of being slugged an'1 robbed. Ii
Fresno county life and property wore unsafe
A few vigilantees found a partly completod
frame house, a good gallows, and flvo men wort
hung ono moonlight night; then people did no;
have to stand guard over their horses at night
Evoryono who knows anything about tho earl)
settlement of tho Texas frontier, knows thai
it was not tho courts that put a stop to horupu
stealing and cattle rustling. Even our own cltj 1
was made much safer to live in after two mur
derors were strung up to tho old cottonwool
tree that stood where tho big cannon now ur
Tho hope of reward will stir tho souls oi
many people to good deeds, but shall wo bo s
narrow-minded as to lose. sight of the other p."
of the same law, tho fear of punishment? Dur
ing tho first year of the reign of Queen Vip
toria there were four attempts on her Jife, an
some of tho assailants were tried for insanity
Parliament met and passed an act providing foi
the speedy execution of any who attempted t
take the life of tho queen, r.nd from that time
to tho day of her death no one made an attacl
nn hnr.
,
The immortal Leo told his son that tbv
greatest word in tho English language wat
"duty;" somo smaller men seem to think tha44)
sympathy for tho criminal sfandp away aboW.
n V nnnln tt xtfrfia Portnlnlv ftVOrV Trial! I
1L IIX LUU niUID VJL MUiUUi vv. faU.U.J IJ "'"l
would dislike to take another's life, even ill
commanded to do so by tho law, yet any maij
should bo willing to discharge his duty, if thai
came in his lino. The first effect of capital
punishment Is to deter others from committlni
mnpflor" ihn HPP.nrwl Afffnt 1h to nrotfict ROfiifitl
from such inhuman persons; the third Is to prel
vent men from taking such things into theii
own hands without process of law. For In
.nnst, nimnAnn vmlt Viorl n 1ivaItt 1 O II Cll t ap ATtJI
BU1UI,U, dujiuou juu uuu. u, ijimj viuububw "13
joying your own nresiue, wnere sue is uy4
posed to bo safe from all attacks, and a villalaj
creeps up to tho window and blows out nei
brains with a shot-gun, spattering her blood
and brains over the mother who gave her birtbjl
then suppose thw instead of hanging him the
court should give him a life sentence, where h
could bask In Arizona sunshine, play games, b
well fed, i-nd nurse the idea that some man Ii
authority would decide that It was too bad U
keep him as a pensioner on tho state and tel
him to go free; how many fathers with re
blood in their veins would not take his gun ant
go man-hunting. I contend that if one-hall
the maudlin blubbering over the poor crimlnz
'M'i y
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fumfvmimf- tmirtmtsW' tUevprtf ,
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