Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 233, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 October 1915 — CRIMINAL TENDENCIES. [ARTICLE]

CRIMINAL TENDENCIES.

After a careful study of 1000 young criminals and their ancestry Dr. Edith B. Spaulding, resident physician of the Reformatory for women at South Framingham. Mass., and Dr. William Healy, director of the Juvenile Psyeopathlc Institute, Chicago, have been able to find "only 15 cases which in the least suggest fnhetltAnce of criminalistic traits.” "In no esse of the thousand," they jmy, "have we been* able to discover evidence of abti-social tendencies in succeeding - generations -without also finding underlying trouble of a physical or mental nature, or such striking environmental faults or mal-adjust-ments as develop delinquincy in tho absence of defective Inheritance.” They say there is much evidence of the indirect inheritance of criminalistic tendencies; that is to say, a child born of criminal parents is almost certain to be brought up in an environment that would tend to make him s criminal even If he had been born of the most moral parents. It Is impossible to say where heredity leaves off and environment begins. "With inherited Imbecility, no environment could make a good citizen. On the other band, if a normal individual where brought up in dives of vice from infancy, with no moral enlighten ment, he, too, would be a poor type of ~citiien.” They regard habitual drunkenness as an expression of nervous weakness which may be either inherited or acqulred. Commenting on one of the cases that seemed suggestive of criminalistic, inheritance, they say: "The boy, hbwever, suddenly waked ! up In the flildtt of his atrocious environment, broke Up his gang, reformed the worst member of it, and thereby upset our evidence that he had inherited any criminalistic tendencies. This made us skeptical of acceptance of •proof in the future.” Drs. Spahiding and Healy note two factors In producing young criminals sometimes run in families and that are factora of genius as well as of crime. These are superabundant energy and lack of inhibitions. The first, with ideal environment and wise guidance, will make a man a valuable member of society, but with repression and undesirable associates is likely to make a criminal. The second manifests itself spirit of abandon and absence of fear that make its subjects seek adventure. A Cute Yankee. Our government since its foundation has had periodical rows with Morocco, and the Moors have a wholesome fear of the Yankee nation, which has so many times brought them up with a round turn. The Moors are densely ignorant and prejudiced against all modem inventions, and it Is pleasant to record how a cute Yankee circumvented the Sultan and his'Prime minister. , This American, whose name is Cobb, wanted to erect a flour mill, and when he applied for authority It was refused. He went right ahead, however, built his mill and put In the machinery, and' only needed the grinding stones. They came at Hast, and the authorities- calmly impounded them at the wharf. Mr. Cobb immediately wrote to the United States consul, and received a formal reply. Informing him that since the sultan had forbidden the project, he must not look to the consul for aid. This letter was all that Cobb needed. He took it to the men who had his grinding stones in charge, and asked them if they could read English. "No!” "Then look at this!” cried Cobb. There were 1 the arms of the great American nation, and there was an undoubted official signature. Nobody knew* what complications might ensue If this fierce American were disappointed, so the stones were given up and the mill was finished. When the Sultan came to town; and heard the machinery whirring, ho scowled, but now he sends all his oora to that mill to be ground, and Mr. . Cobb has erase to chuckle. Hew to Use a Life Preserver. "The worst trouble about a life preserver,” said an old sailor, "is that few people know what to do with one when It’s thrown to them. Many a man would drown In trying to get a life preserver over his head. "The average person struggling about in the water would try to lift up the big life ring and put it over his head. That only causes the man to dnk deeper and take more water into his lungs. "The proper way to approach a life preserver in the water la to take hold! Of the side nearest you and press upon II with all your weight That causes ffe* other side to fly up In the air and down over your head, •ringing’ you aa flfOtlyaa amanrlnglng a ease at f •gantry fair. After that fha itnWr ®* naa 1,6 I ' ' - Rabbits on Layeaa Island, ta labbitsen Layasn Uand, tho wo* Mm Hawaiian bird reservation, sere multiplied to sudden extent yours aswao to-threatan the eadsteaoe jeopKrdtesfuie bird ooto* nko, Mfclelf tteed Ohada* especially tien vbichrecemly Wfcttod the i«i*«ni destroyed about 6*ooß rabbits, or oae>