The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-08-07
Law and Order.

Texas has no dearer interests than
those which are bound up in the reg
ular impartial and prompt admins
tration of law and the preservation
of peace in the state. Indeed this, or
rather these, are paramount, and their
real vital and everyday Importance
cannot be overestimated. So much of
the dignity and good name, no less
than the real values of the common
wealth, depend upon a proper, fearless
and impartial administration of law
and the regular and systematic main
tainance of order One of the gravest diff
iculsies ever encountered by Texas in
her settlement and subsequent pro
gress, has been disposition on the
part of d powerful element in her
population to take the law into their
own hands, try, convict, and execute
justice, under the shade of the tree, to
the over-hanging limb and with the
dangling ropes end. All Texans
blush to admit this, but all honest
Texans are compelled to do it. But
for the bad odor of this reputation
there had been fully five millions of
people within our borders to-day.
Young men who voted for
the first time two years since,
will remember the days when
one gang of cattle thieves caught and
hung members of another and rival
gang, only because they were "inter-
70 ing with business and for no other
reason. Officers of the law were
either Indifferent and reasoned that
it twas only one rogue cutting the
throat of another, or they were
afraid to interfere. 1t was living
terror all over Texas. The crime of
theft, especially of horses and cattle,
only was punished, but man was of
small moment, and of small account.
until he had killed his man or presid-
ed at one of these tin pan executions.
1t was dreadful time. The memory
of it brings shudder even now, which
cannot be repressed.
No man knows better than does
Governor Ireland the bad effect, of
this Iawlessness. No man has mem
mory of more of them and their
blighting effects upon border settle
ment in Texas, and yet in the face of
all this, when the fence cutters were
devastating the frontier, when values
were tumbling, business at stand
still, when men feared for their lives
and others assumed to control their
property, this governor of ours
had only the remedy of mob
justice, Winchester rife justice to
propose. He apparently lost sight of
the fact that the state courts were in
full play and the police force amply
sufficient to arrest every law-breaker
within its boundaries, and advised the
sufferers to hunt down the fence-cut-
tiers with rifle and pistol, Stay and kill,
and he, John Ireland, governor of the
state of Texas, would see that none of
the bad consequences which should
overtake the murderer, should be
visited upon them. A whole state
full of shocked and outraged people
as with one voice:
What is this, from the gov
ernor? Have we no law, and
must we indeed turn the administra-
ton of justice over to the mob?"
And yet, this same man is going to be
elected governor again, unless some
unforeseen accident intervenes. Isn't |
It too Dad? What do we promise |
in the future of the state |
with this sort of public policy prevail
ing?
1t is not too late to call halt. The |
evil may yet be averted. Elect Ire
and and the people of Texas are plac-
I'd in the attitude of endorsers of mob |
aW. Let us not do it, Let us adj
fitting rebuke by defeating
ihe nomination of man who advises |
he killing of even criminals without |
lue process of law.
THE affairs of the Worlds fair ex- !
position get on. The thoroughness
md completeness of the organization
effects the highest credit upon the
Tast administrative and organizing
apacity of the director general, Major
.. A. Burke, no less than the army of
lble ieutenants sent him from the
ifferent states, among whom, Elliott
# Texas, is by no means the least.
hould New Orleans escape the
courge of fever this summer, this
EXPOSITION will eclipse every thing in
his way yet ATTEMPTED on the
ointment. Men are at the
7heel who have never failed, (
those names are synonym {
success wherever their previous Ia
ors and successes ar nown. The |
xposition will prove Il * thing for
exas, and she will US intelligent s
: Tor all there is in it.
THE Houston Journal is plain
'oken paper, and it talks to the point
! what it has o say of a recent
rticle which 81 red in the Ameri- I
N Journal 5vious notice of a
hich was pnblis... Il in this paper, a Q
y or so since. The extract will be s
ad with interest by professional g
urnalists all over Texas. a