| Show GROWTH OF CRIME TILE THE government directs attention by published circular over the signature of postmaster wanamaker to the frequency of armed attacks upon the united states malls mails for purposes of robbery the west is specially named as aa the held field in which mail robbers flourish and operate it is often the case however that dramatic performances of the kind in question occur in the east where the country has been settled for a long thre this form of crime has become so common that the government feels impelled in n a general way without reference to any special case to offer graded rewards for the arrest and conviction of the desperadoes who engage in it this bare fact is a sad comment upon our times and civilization this will be seen at once when it is considered that it only refers to one phase of criminality while thousands of other forms are rampant and the country is full of individual and factional violence A quarter of a century since it was common for the youth to read with avidity highly colored descriptions of the criminal exploits of 4 such novices in thievery and high way manship as jack shepphard hard claude duval dick turpin et ef ca now the boys can get much more thrilling and romantic lite literature literate ratu e in 61 the same line by reading in the 14 i newe newspapers papers of the day accurate descriptions script ions of actual transactions that are of almost constant occurrence such then men as those named were specially noted because of the J scarcity of their class in the times when they flourished the notoriety of many of their kind in our own day and who excel them in daring in the extensive character of their transactions and in almost every other direction lasts but a few hours houm comparatively because of the great number of criminals criminal of that kind it seems as if no sooner is some remarkable criminal operation perpetrated pet rated than another which eclipses it follows upon its heels beels and cau cauree it to be lost sight of and yet popular preachers assert because of the soothing character of the announce ment that the world is growing morally better only EL a few days ago a local professed dispenser of gospel truth made this absurd assertion ser tion and thus placed himself in the category of false teachers who cry peace peace when there is no peace J crime of every kind seems to be increasing with alarm ing rapidity throughout the country such a circular as that issued lay by the government through sir wanamaker would we believe be unnecessary in any other civilized nation Is it not au an anomaly for any department to call upon the general public P bublic to protect it against any ceass of criminals surely it is a confession of weakness in the shape of an acknowledgment that the government either does not have the facilities for self protection or it does not care to apply them this circular seems to reverse the order of civil government because in place of it being the duty of the people at large to protect the government it is the exalted and imperative duty of the latter to protect the people at large I 1 there is more in this subject sub act than appears on the surface Itis it is butone but one of the phases of the times that lead thoughtful people to ask whither the republic is drifting |
