Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-19
Governor Lowrey and Conceaieu
Weapons.

Governor LoWrey and Concealed
Weapons.
Governor Lowrey. Of Mississippi, few
days ago. in his message 10 the Leglsla-
ture. said: a fruitful source OF crime Is
the too prevalent habit of carrying con-
cealed weapons. Impulses are often porn
Of opportunities and it often happens
that the possession of a pistol presents
strong temptation to its unlawful use. In
my opinion the most efficient remedy Tor
the evil Of carrying concealed weapons is
m make their use to kill, OF attempt to
kin a crime not admitting of defense, so
that if killing or attempting to Kill Is by
means OF "a weaponAttrawn from cohceal-
ment on the person, there shall be no eX-
cuse or Justification. If one could not
under any circumstances, lawfully use
deadly weapon. carried in concealment
ON the person, he would cease 10 carry IT,
for il would be useless"
Has the Legislature OF Mississippi Ihe
couraoe 70 act upon this suggestion Of the
Governor 1t is not certain that II the
plan outlined by GOV. Lowrey was
adopted the concealed weapon eVll w0ulu
be abated. The plan, however, Is
worth irving. ANY plan which promises
10 remedy the evil ought to he tried. HOW
TO put an end to the practice of carrying
concealed weapons is greater problem
than how 10 get rid of the surplus OF the
national revenues. He who solves the
concealed weapon problem will be en-
titled to more credit than he VINO solves
the national revenue problem.
There are no statistics showing how
many lives are annually lost through The
practice of carrying concealed weapons
{ but the number must he startlingly large.
+ The practice claims its victims IN every
mart of the country every day. Shooting
/ affravs are so common that the account
I of them i'm the daily papers hardly at
/ tracts more than a passing notice unless
! they are attended with unusual cireum-
stances. On no other subject, perhaps,
/ has there been so much written as that oil
carrying concealed weapons ana yet
there does not appear to be any abate-
ment in the evil. The handy pistol plays
/ a leading part in personal difficulties as
/ frequently as ever, and the list of its VIC
I INNS apparently SAtNo Il 9NNNNN'-
II man is asked why he carries a con-
cealed pistol he almost inya-
riablv answers that no de-
sires to be prepared to defend
/ himself The victims Of concealed weap-
Ons. however. are not those who are I'M
| armed. but those who are armed. As
/ rule it j an accident when an unarmed
man is shot. Blood flows only when both
the opposing parties reach for their weap-
/ ons. 4 man who habitually carries
pistol. dirk or slung-shOt holds human
! life very cheaply. He Imagines himself
+ a participant in all kinds of bloody en-
/ counters. and the thought of killing a
man gives him pleasure rather than pain.
/ Laws will not cure the concealed weapon
/ evil. however severe they may be, unless
iurymeu are educated to do their duty.
/ II the laws could be enforced the carry
| ing of concealed weapons would soon
/ cease. The first thing 20 be done, there
I fore. Is to educate the people up to the
/ belief that man who carries secret
arms has murder in his heart, and de
serves severe punishment. With the
people so educated and with law such
as Governor Lowrey proposes there would
not be much difficulty in putting an end
10 carrying concealed weapons.