The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, February 28, 1913, Page 12, Image 14

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12
The Commoner
VOLUME 13, NUMBER $
AN OLD QUESTION IX A NMW
FORM
(Contlnuod from Pago 12.)
reason lmn always boon entrusted to
our govornoi'H.
I huvo coiiBldorod tho question
now from tho Htandpolnt of Bocioty
and the ntnto and como next to fho
puroly personal proposition of
punishment to tho ucciiHod. Is tin
execution tiny punishment at all? I
$
CPflC IletOpoTrn. 10 Variotloa, Hurfiank'if Floral
CCUu (loin, 10 nortit HKncvr ilvrcul Vcm au16
mmmmm Vry Hoima (Roods) all forlOc. fipockutn
vnsnfAli DMMKfH ion. I nfd'oir ntul nkt.dlanc
rnHloa xroa, A. O. Andorson. lioi 3N Colimibuu. Nob.
D
ROPSY l'KATKIl, wFiinlly alvoi mlrk
rHIefiiml M'on rnninvrx all swelling
ntul xliorl Ittrnlh. Trial IrriitniontHciit Free.
Dr, H. H. Oreons Sans, Box N, Atlanta, Ga.
RAISE THEM WITHOUT MILK.
BOOKLET FREE.
NEBRASKA SEED COMPANY. OMAHA, NEB.
One Dollar a Month
HiirnuStHn!iirlTyjo writer
Vnur choice, HemliiKton, llvor,
Bm I tit Premier, 1,. c. Smith
or Underwood. l'rlctw lowoc
tlinn other cash prkw. Perfect
mar hlncH only, (lunranleod.
Tyiuwrlt)i' IiiHtiilliiiuitt Co.
Dept. II, 180 N. Ucatliorn St., Chicago
dony it. To kill la not to punlnli but
It simply puts him out of tho way
and beyond all human punishment.
To kick or mutilate a corpBO Is as
oonsoless as to turn upon a log over
which wo may stumble and kick or
curso It for an accident It may have
caused. An execution is an act pre
venting and ending punishment.
Since there Is neither punishment
nor reformation to the condemned in
hanging sinco a dead mail feels no
restraint for pain of conscience as a
burden for errors or wrongs what
are wo doing to him by execution?
He ceases to be a man and ceases to
boar tho mark of Cain. Ho becomes
inanimate matter. We overdo our
punishment. If by death we cut
off his joys and happiness In the
same measure we cut off his sorrow
and humiliation. Wo may balance
things for tho accused but I deny
that death is a punishment to tho
man killed any more than wo can,
by hanging, punish a stone. He must
live a human life to receive human
punishment, assuming that punish
ment Is our aim. Is death in the
sick chamber or hospital called by
tho name of punishment? Does
death on a battlefield punish a sol
dier? It is never called or named
punishment there. But the not re-
TO SUCCEED WITH CHICKENS
Ik plainly and completely told In
UNCLE SAM'S POULTRY BOOK
complete, nildo to poultry culture
written ly covnriuncnl cxpertH. Worth
10.00 to you nud fold for only 20 cents,
and by our plan you can fret CO conts
hack. Send l 'cent stamps or two dlmos
to-day for It. You can Kot It only rrom
uh. Undo Sm say to iiko nn Incubator
to (jot tho most satisfactory results and
Tho Sure Hatch Incubator
Is tho only ono built na ho jmyann Incubator should bo mivlo. Heavy
stronir, oiliest mntorlnl nudmoilcrm features not found iu any other ma
chine. Complete control of heat, llutuhna Ohioks that Inre. GO days
froo trial, nunrnntoed five years. Vrolfcht Pnld. Hlpr catalog froe. Bond for
It to-day and Ret your chicks on to tho hlgh-prlccd market as soon as
poRHlblo. Chickens and orb nio Kolnfj to bu hlxhor this sprlnc than you
have known thorn.
SURE HATCH INCUBATOR CO. Box 126, Fremont, Nab.
i i ri mi
Handy Sewing Awl
A Perfect Device for Sewing Any Heavy Material
With this Awl you can mcntl linrnen.i, -linen, tent-, nuiilnKs Hnd
pulley beltn, blud books nml itutKuxlucs, new or mead carpet, saddles
iiUvanefl. or tiny heavy umtcrlnl. ' "UU1CS
Tho Sl'iSEDY ST1TC1I1SH Is the latest Invention and the most effec
tive p anything In tho form of an Automatic Sewing Awl over offered
for-the money. Its simplicity makes It a thoroughly practical tool for
any and all kinds of repair work, even In the hands of tho most unskilled.
Tho Sl'lfiHDY STITCHER Is provided with a set of diamond-pointed
grooved noodles, Including our special needle for tapping shoes, which
n. H?JliWniw I,nvoilti(?n,-, Xt also contains a largo bobbin from which
tho thread feeds, all of which ao enclosed inside tho handle out of the
way. This Awl has a. tension which enables you to tighten your stitch,
and It can bo used with or without tho bobbin, which saves refilling the
bobbin when you havo a lot of work to do. These valuable features you
wl 1 not find In any other $1.00 Awl. No wrench or screw driver Is re-
Sarytn othormakos r tlffhtcn the needl ln cnuck as is necos-
tnnSfl1? convon,(?nt to carry always ready to mend a rip or a
tear It Ib a tool no practical man can afford to bo without and it Is
a tool that will save dollars In every home. Now niedloa can be
secured at any time. Wo will send this Awl (together "with comSleto
moneyCtord?r. t0 any nddrCSS' postPaid- "cefpt of U, $U or
A Limited Special Offer
For a limited time only, we aro making this oxtraorriinnrtr .
Send us only $1.15 (a special rate) to pay' for one full year1? subscHn
tlon to Tho Commoner and Tho American Homestead (tho poDular farm
and household monthly) and wo will send you one of thoscT fino a.w
luiitlo Sewing AjvIh without additional cost and prepaid Romembor"
both papers one full year and tho Awl for only 1.15. The rojVularrfn
Address, THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Nebraska
suits to the man who passeg over
is tho same, whether tho memory left
is one of infamy or of honor.
His character and not his reputa
tion count there. Do our bravo sol
diers who have defended this nation
and are ever ready to lay down lives
for our liberty fear death? They
do not fear either pain, suffering or
any emotion alcin to punishment.
Their anxiety is only a sorrow for
the overwhelming grief of dear ones
that may be left behind. Hundreds
of men deliberately take their own
lives to avoid imprisonment, They
take death as ati antidote against
punishment. Scores of men and
even young timid girls select death
in preference to exposure and shame.
Death is an asylum impregnable
against punishment. Death is na
ture's haven and refuge from unbear
able conditions. Death comes to the
rescue the instant pain and suffer
ing reaches its limit and still we
call nature s great ana iinai oaim
for all extreme suffering a punish
ment capital punishment the very
reverse of its design by nature.
Death is the natural and logical
sequence of birth and the end of
all mortal life which included the
beginning and ending of both joy
and sorrow. Should death be de
creed with no better reason than to
punish and then be admitted not to
have been a punishment. Death is
no punishment to the condemned.
It pains the mother, wife, and sisters.
By an instantaneous jerk he is
passed over all suffering and beyond
all punishment.
As Christians we teach that death
is eternal life; the passing from dark
ness to" light. As a Christ teaching
nation we send clergy to a con
demned man to -prepare his soul and
convert him to our religion which
teaches it is never too late to repent
and be saved and then after this
careful and natural preparation send
him beyond our control and call that
punishment? I charge that from the
standpoint of neither a Christian, an
atheist, a scientist or a philosopher,
can death be considered or figured
out as a proper punishment or any
punishment at all to the condemned.
While I would not touch philoso
phy in this document of law and
mortality I can not refrain from, the
observation that if there is a con
tinuancy of spiritual life why re
lease and set at liberty in the great
beyond a murderous spirit? Why
not finish the incubation of this
earth and nermit a man in nf
vironment to change his mentality
ttuu ijubs uu n sucu is aiYine provi
dence with more of a Christian
spirit?
Some people try to bo governed
in all they do by what the Bible
says. I revere and respect; them for
such opinions. The old ' testament
possibly justified and recommended
the death nenaltv dr if- tc n.tf.
"Who so sheddeth man's blood by
man shall his blood be shed," but we
are told the purest Being, the
greatest Teacher, the holiest Judge
ti.w CyCl imbmubu over tne destinies
of man never wrote a sentence pre
served in history excepting when
meditating upon capital punishment
He wrote with his finger in the sand
and then immediately said as if an
interpretation of whnf hn "
"Let him who is without sin cast tho
first stone." The old law read ''Let
her be stoned to death." As all men
are , sinners this'harsh and cruel law
of death written in the old testament
was reconstructed and repealed bv
the Saviour of man and savage jus
tice was tempered with the saving
influence of the Master's mercy
If this teaching of Jesus Christ
will not suffice I should think in n
Christian nation, where We worsen
the Son nf RnH fcrt - r.w?ranIP
court, condemned to death and due?
fled according to law, we would profit
by the evident example of horror and
stop, hesitate a moment, in t every
court and every office of this land
and think of Him before we take a
life the life of any one whom Jesus
died to save. JOHN A. YEISER.
WALL STREET'S RAGE
Did Wall street think Woodrow
Wilson was a political crook? Did
it think he was a political liar? Did
it think he was a political confidence
man engaged in buncoing the Ameri
can people? Did it believe that he
was seeking the presidency under
false pretenses and would sell out as
soon as he was elected?
The protests that have followed
Governor Wilson's speech at. Chi
cago admit of no other construction.
In this speech Governor Wilson
said nothing that he had not r.aid be
fore he was nominated for president.
He said nothing that he had not said
after he was nominated for president.
Every word was in harmony with the
principles and policies to which he
has adhered throughout his public
career. Every word was in harmony
with the programme to which he is
definitely and irrevocably committed
by solemn pledges and promises.
Yet the great financial interests of
the country have chosen to make an
issue of this speech. The spokes
men of big business are overwhelm
ing the governor with protest and re
buke. The Journal of Commerce tells us
that "bankers who were interviewed
by a representative of the Journal
of Commerce stated that they were
disappointed and disgusted with the
speech" and that "some of. them in
dulged in exceptionally strong lan
guage when asked for an expression
of opinion." A member of the firm
of J. Plerpont Morgan & Co. is
quoted as saying, "I become more
and more disappointed with Wilson
every time he speaks." An officer of
"one of the largest and most influ
ential banks" describes the speech as
"rotten." Another banker thinks
"Wilson is making a great mistake,"
and Henry Clews hopes his next
speech "will be more encouraging
and acceptable to business interests."
And thus the story runs. -
Governor Wilson said nothing at
Chicago at which any honest busi
ness need take alarm. There was no
menace of a reign of terror; no
threat against legitimate industry or
legitimate finance. The speech in the
main was an appeal to the business
men of the country to join forces
with the administration in eradicat
ing abuses concerning which the pub
lic mind is fully made up. It was
a plea for honest counsel and honest
co-operation. It revealed a chief
executive trying to judge with the
mind of a just and upright judge.
This is the speech and the appeal
Wall street denounces.
There can be only one interpreta
tion ol tins criticism. Either Wall
street thought Woodrow Wilson was
a coward who could be scared, or a
demagogue who could be dealt with,
or a snob who could be flattered, or a
corruptionist who would traffic for
the favor of big business, or a traitor
to the principles of government
which he advocated throughout the
campaign.
The Woodrow Wilson who spoke
at Chicago is the same Woodrow Wil
son who was nominated at Baltimore.
He Is advocating the same policies in
the same language and in the same
way. Wall street's rage is not the
rage of honest business threatened
with oppression of confiscation. It is
a raG ,f baffled Privilege which
finds itself face to face with an
honest and feaTless and intelligent
vJSerT?rf ? America People. New
York World.
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