The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-05-15
LaWlesSneSS.

such reports as the one we published |
yesterday from Del Rio via San An
tonic are daily made. The bloody in
stincts of the people are apparently
understandable, nor is it confined to
MeXicans as in this case, or negroes as
in others. 1t is general and widely
diffused sentiment, and requires to be
dealt with by the strong arm of the
law, welded and directed by some
force Of unbounded power and irwin
chile determination. we have here a
state of over two millions of people,
with all of the intelligence and
progress Of the most advanced civiliZa-
ton of the age, and yet the most shock
ing occurrences of blood are recorded
day by day with the regularity of
clock work and the certainty of the
sums appearance. Are our people
worse than others? Have we more
bad people to our number than any
other state or country, or is it because
we have government which is too
weak, too inert, or too much in SYM
pathy with lawlessnes and murder to
cope with it in any way? Are our
courts of justice, sherIffs and other
peace officers either afraid of the mis-
creants or in sympathy with them?
The people of Texas are becoming
exceedingly FESTIVE under the sit
uation. They resent the bad
reputation these murderers are
giving the state, and if the govern
ment and the courts do not soon man.
ifest a disposition to handle the mat
ter in earnest, or in some way prom
Using relief, the mob will do it. The
mob Of insulted, indignant and out
ragged people will rise in it's might
and deal speedy punishment upon
not only the laWless, but the GRIM
inally weak and inert officials who
either want the votes of the outlaws,
or who are afraid of their anger. 1t
is too bad that Texas must be for
ever written down as the home and
using ground of the murderer, the
pistoler, the sticker and the
stabber only because she has within
her borders a few score of bloody
de3peradoas who receive considera
ton only because of their evil and
bloody deeds.
1t is all folly to prate further about
the evil correcting itself. That was
the position taken ten years since, but
it is no better to-day than it was then.
In fact it is growing worse with each
shining day which passes over our
heads. 1t is dreadful situation. 1t
is an alarming situation, and it is one
which should call out the active and
determined effort of every official in
all the land who Is connected in any
way with the administration of JUS
tice. Texas is slowly sinking beneath
the odium of the bad Reputation she
is surely acquiring. Nothing but the
glorious advantage in climate, soil and
surroundings, which induces investors
to keep on, is keeping her up. Now,
if we could add to this the boast that
life and property were as safe here as
elsewhere, there would be nothing left
to desire. There is no use and no
sense whatever in denying further
the existence of these uncompli-
mentary facts. They should be
concealed no longer. The facts
should be published abroad to tile
world, so that people need not
be deceived, and so others might
set to work at the task of
finding a competent remedy, in
which we have ourselves failed
so slgnally. The whole physical
| power of Texas should be used to
stamp out the Observation-Disclosures
which is throttling her industry and
destroying her good name among the
states. There is surely some way in
which this matter can be reached by
legal means; if not, then the vigi
lante policy must be tried. Murderers
must learn that there is SOME power
in Texas able to grapple with their
malgn energy, and learn it right
speedily. The next legislature will
act in this matter; if not, then the
mob