Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-26

10 me E0st0r o. The Star:
In recent issue of your valuable paper was q
paragraph editorial perhaps). in which it was
| announced ''the mayor of Philadelphia is making
it very uncomfortable for the carriers of con-
cealed weapons. The police have orders to
search all whom they have reason to suspect OF
going about armed. Men who habitually
carry loaded pistols, or other deadly weapons.
may properly be considered dangerous charac-
tiers"
In one sense this has good, Quaker-like, con-
sentative tone, but are we sure the mayor OF
Philadelphia is on the right track? The man
who carries weapon solely for self-defense can
not "be considered a dangerous character. "
whereas the ruffiaDarmed for a quite opposite
reason is the real danger. The 'smayor' appar-
entity makes no distinction. An assassin may
prepare himself for purpose, and effect it in a
lew minutes with but little risk of being searched
by the police. We know only too well it is the
quiet law abiding man who is always found I'M
armed and helpless in an emergency and it is a
pltlable thing that whole too-peaceful commu-
nifty is often held at the mercy of a few armed
miscreants. That such is the truth in many sec
lions OF this country is undeniable
Take hundred of ''our best citizens" in al
most any town Of size and it is safe to say
ninety-nne of them do not own a weapon of any
kind, and if they did, would not know how to
use It. 1t is certainly right in theory. that the
law should protect us IN our persons and prom
erty, and that We should trust to the law But
90 we not see with pain, every day. that this is
| only theoretical
In the very number of THE STAR referred to
ABOVE, Is an account of train robbed with two
lluIuers) oy seven armed men. Constantly We
Ieau oI railroad trains, and stage-loads of pas
sengers, robbed or murdered. or both by a few
i,oaa-asents, mostly from three to seven in num-
per- ana 10 cap the climax. only a few weeks
ago one solitary agent stopped loaded
staSe somewhere near Deadwood of course) and
bles Va ''ei ''''''
Ihere are places in our beloved land where
sucn WOuid-be-asSaSSin as Gutpau even using
as he dld. double acting revolver. could never
nave nave nred his second shot. AT the sound Of the
nrst he would have been covered by a dozen
ni: In some parts of the far west and
Saillorna. where this business is pretty well I'M
derstOod, an armed bully may get tine draw
on large crowd but it is only for the first shot
what we require. Mr.. Editor. is either more
ptsIols, tand better ones. with better knowledge
vi tnem,) or none at all. If the lion and the
lam0 were ready to lie down together, we
might and ought to, do with none. But each
year. Is 1t not more and more evident that the
non OF. IaWleSsneSS and crime is less inclined to
he down dny,ot,e1e in peace. That this country
IN common with others has its dangerous
classes" is plain, and may be palmer still ere
long. TO be to'ed,med is Shelter than to be ever
so much forewarned
In my humble opinion. every good citizen no
malIeI HOW peaceful his occupation may be.
should possess a first-class modern fire-arm. and
be perfectly familiar with its use. In the hands
OF good citizen only should weapons of any
KIND be found. With regard to gunshot acct
gents, SO much dreaded, they occur. with very
lew exceptions. amongst persons either ignO-
rant OF the mechanism of their arms, or careless
in using them.
Some time ago, law was passed or proposed
do not know which, for New York city. which
appeared to be step in the right direction. 1t
was to the effect that no person be allowed to
carry concealed deadly weapon without a
license for which, of course. he had to pay a
considerable fee. Such a law as this. properly
framed. and rigidly administered. would solve
the problem without doubt. In most of the
states there are certain enactments against
carrying concealed weapons. but if observed at
all. it is only by the better class of citizens
Perhaps the New York law would tend to
reverse ths.-at any rate it would be preferable
to the plan adopted by the mayor Of Philadelphia.
lGNORAMUS.