nts. That it consists only of adjustments. That, ordinarily,
strong heredity and a good environment will serve the longest. That,
generally, a weak heredity and a poor environment will meet disaster
soonest. Life may be lengthened either by improving the heredity or the
environment or both. Whatever catastrophe overtakes it and the time it
falls depend not upon the will of the machine, but upon the character of
the machine that starts on the journey and the road it travels. The
disasters cannot in reason or justice be divided into criminal or
non-criminal. They are all natural; they are each and all inevitable.
Each is the inevitable destruction of a machine which could stand so
much, but which could stand no more. And in each, in spite of both
heredity and the general environment, the constant meeting with other
machines due to pure luck and chance is a great factor, if not the chief
factor, that determines the individual life.

XXXV

PARDONS AND PAROLES

It has always been the province of the Chief Executive of a state or
nation to grant pardons or clemency to those who are confined in prison.
This is largely to correct the mistakes of courts and juries and is
often indulged in by presidents and governors at Christmas time.
Experience shows that during the trial of a case, especially one that
causes public notice and general discussion, injustice is frequently
done. Often the defendant is convicted when he should have been
acquitted, and still more frequently punishments are excessive and
cruel. Almost never is any serious inquiry made as to the heredity and
environment of the accused. Probably trial by jury has served to save
many defendants where the judge would have convicted, and has still more
often tempered and modified penalties. Still, juries are by no means
free from the mob psychology that surrounds and affects most important
and well-known cases. Jurors are generally none too intelligent and not
very ready to stand against public opinion. Most men agree with the
crowd. The prevailing religious opinion and the dominant political and
social ideas are accepted and believed by the ordinary citizen. Social
and business considerations cause most men to go with the crowd, and in
any case of importance it is easy for a jury to tell the feeling of the
populace. If the case has attracted much attention, the juror knows the
prevailing ideas as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant. When he
takes his se