Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-03

semi barbsrous condition OF society In
paris OF Texas" L. simply shows that in
Texas, as elsewhere, brave mep, men
of generous impulses, refuse 10
allow their names to be
trampled Ia the mud by
the character assassin, snd that they re-
sent insults by violence when 1t becomes
necessary. That ITO call man liar
means nght in Texas" is true, and 1t is
also true Of every other state or country
where men continue to be men. It is On
ly among New York journalists that the
proper spirit Of resentment has been so
thoroughly civilized out Of men that they
tsmely submit to insult. And the per-
sonal utilization and abuse which daily
fills the columns of some OF the
papers of that city is more beastly snd
degrading than anything that occurs in
Texas. Such vulgar exhibitions as are
frequently made by the World and the
Sun Of New York, for instance, would be
impossible in Texas, because the man
who would submit to such vile insults es
the editors OF those sheets have applied
to each other could rot keep the respect
Of the people, and would not have 9
friend In the state. The knowledge that
personal insult will brig on hght
keeps men from using insulting language,
just as the knowledge of New York ] ur-
nalists that murder will be punished
deters them from slaughtering one
smother, for they surely hats each other
enough to do go otherwise.
The Times is also wrong in its copclu-
sion that ".his sort Of courage" 'deserts
the southern man as soon as he gets
where he may be arrested and punished"
|Swearingen said II Jordan talked on The
streets Of Brennan as he had in the
committee room he might be hurt. He
did not say, and he did not mean, that
Jordan would be punished for giving
such evidence In Brennan as he had
given there. The people Of Texas recog-
nizs the fact that man on the witness
stand is on oath, and that the law forces
him to say what he says. II he holds an
i'll opinion against his neighbor and he is
asked to give his opinion under oath he
must give 1t as 1t is. This is not resent
ed. Blu. 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
the Texas men on the streets of Washing
ton and called him liar, he would have
been knocked down there as promptly as
on the streets of Brennan, and in the po-
lice court he would have been fined just
as much and no more.
When the Times spesks of Washington,
or any other place in the Union, as a place
where a msn be arrested and punished,
intimatipg that in Texas he would not be
ARE sted and punished, 1t talks bosh. No
where in the country are the laws en-
forced better than In Texas; nowhere
does crime meet more certain or more
speedy punishment. And nowhere in the
country are the laws so badly enforced as
in the Times own home Of New York
nowhere are delays so long and iustice
80 slow.
II has come to be quite the thing fol
the papers Of the north to prate about law
lessness and lack of q proper degree Of
civilization in Texas, but 1t is very lilly
nevertheless, and does no credit to the
keen perception, good judgment ant
general spirit Of fairness which usually
characterizes the uttersnces Of the Times
Texas Is like other states, no better, nc
worse, and the air of superiority as
sumed by the press and people Of othel
states when speaking Of this is IS 1idic.
ulous and disgusting as It is unwar-
|