Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-06
The WEEKLY GAZETTE FORT WORTH I

sent insults by violence when it becomes
necessary. That "to call q man Iier
means fight in Texas" is true, and 1t is
also true Of every other state or country
where men CONTINUE to be men. It is On
IL among New York journalists that the
proper spirit Of resentment has been so
thoroughly civilized out of men that they
tamely submit to insult. And the per-
sonal villificstion and abuse which daily
fills the columns of some Of The
papers Of that city is more beastly and
degrading than anything that occurs in
Texas. Such vulgar exhibitions as are
frequently made by the World and the
Sun Of New York, for instsnce, would be
impossible in Texas, because the man
who would submit to such vile insults as
the editors Of those sheets have applied
to each other could not keep the respect
| Of the people, and would not have 8
friend In the state. The knowledge that
personal insult will bring on q fight
keeps men from using insulting Language,
just as the knowledge of New York j,ur-
aalists thst murder will be punished
deters them from slaughtering one
another, for 'hsy surely hate each other
enough to do so otherwise.
The Times is also wrong in its conclu-
sion that "this sort of courage" "deserts
the southern man as soon as he gets
where he msy De arrested and punished"
Swesriugen said if Jordan talked on the
streets Of Brennan IS he had in the
committee room he might be hurt. He
did not say, ard he did not mean, that
Jordan would be punished for giving
such evidence In Brennan as he had
given there. The people OF Texas reccg-
niz3 the fact that a man on the witness
stand is on oath, and that the law forces |
h m to say what he says. II he holds an
Ill opinion against his nejghbor hnd he is
asked to give his opinion under oath he
must give 1t as it is. This is not resent
ed. But If he goes about on the streets
among mans friends saying evil Of him,
Or, meeting him, offers him insult, he is
very apt to meet with resentment. Had
Jordan met Swearingen or any other of
he Texas men on the streets Of Washing
:on and called him 8 liar, be would have
oeen knocked down there as promptly as
IN the streets OF Brennan, and in the po-
ice court he would have been fined just
Is much and no more.
When the Times speaks Of Washington,
,r any other place in the Union, IS place
where mEn be arrested and punished,
that in Texas he would not be
Irrested and punished, it talks bosh. No
where In the country are the laws en-
creed better than in Texas; nowhere
Ioes crime meet more certain or more
peedy punishment. And nowhere In the
oultry are the laws 80 badly enforced as
q the Times own homo of New York;
owhere are delays so long and justice
D slow.
1t has come to be quite the thing for
he papers of the north to prste about law
essness and lack Of a proper degree Of
utilization in Texas, but it is very silly,
and does no credit to the
Teen perception, good judgment and
general spirit Of fairness which usually
hsracter yes the utterspces of the Times.
7yxas is like other states, no better, no
Eorse, and the air OF superiority es-
umed by the press and people Of other
tates when speaking Of this Is as ride
lous and disgusting IS it is unWar-
anted.