Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-09-07
LAwLEss WHITE CAPS.
A Step in the Direction of Anarchy and tho
Law of Judge Lynch.


force has appeared in various parts Of
the country which is known by the
name of "White Caps" Whether
there is one secret organization to
which all the local associations are
allied, or whether they are many and
independent, no one seems to know,
but, wherever they appear, the method
OF operation is the same.
These White Caps have taken upon
themselves the task of regulating the
minor morals OF the community.
Simeon Jones is lazy. and lets his
family suffer for the necessaries Of life.
Sarah Jenkins has too sharp a tongue,
and spreads scandal about her neigh
bors. Sam Jowler drinks too much.
Over such offenses as these, which are
not known to the law Of the State as
offenses at all, and for other greater
offenses of which persons are suspect
ed, but which can not be proved
against them, the White Caps assume
jurisdiction.
The method of punishment is sum-
mary Threatening anonymous letters
are sent warning the offending person
that he must reform. Either before or
without such warning the White Caps
make midnight call upon their vic
tim, and sometimes maltreat him or
! her shockingly. In some cases the
punishment inflicted by the White Caps
have been not merely criminal in the
eye of the law, but violative of person
al decency.
The efforts to bring the perpetrators
OF these outrages to justice have not
been very successful. Indeed, in some
communities there seems to be dis
position to look upon the White Cap
performances as rather good joke
and with something like popular APP
proval.
As we have said, little is known OF
this secret movement except by those
who have part in it; but something
ought to be known about 1t. From any
possible point of view the object and
methods of the White Caps are thor
oughly bad, and deserve much severer
punishment than the offenses which
they attempt to regulate.
This principle is so plain that it is
difficult to argue it Who has given to
private, secret, irresponsible persons
permission to make punishable offenses
of minor faults which society as a
whole has never undertaken to correct?
Who has put the execution of any law
in their hands? Yet these men first
make laws which society does not APP
prove, and then execute them with
rough brutality and personal violence.
We fancy that these words may fall
under the eye of some persons who
have taken part in White Cap exploits.
No doubt the motive of many of the
volunteer regulators is a good one;
but they can not have reflected upon
the consequences Of what they do.
How easily it may be the case that
the regulators themselves may be
guilty of doing some things which seem
to others in the community as bad as
the offenses which they punish. For
example, to send an anonymous letter
is surely as mean and sneaking an act
as being lazy and failing to support
ones family.
Suppose an organization should be
made with the purpose of hunting
down and whipping every man who
belonged to the White Caps. 1t
would be as lawful an association, and
with an object quite as laudable, as
that of the White Caps.
But what would become of the reign
of law, and of the principal of individ-
ual liberty, and of the right of private
conscience, il society were to split it
self up into little factions each OF
which undertook to correct the minor
faults OF people-faults which tho
general law does not punishP
Moreover, the White Cap movement
is an outbreak of the pharisaic spirit.
1t means: II am holier than thou"
When it assumes to punish people who
are only suspected of real crimes or
offenses against the law, but who have
not been convicted. it is step in the
direction of anarchy and the law of
Judge Lynch.
We believe it is needless to urge this
view of the matter; for it is the view
which every American who values lib
erty, who wishes the reign of law, and
who reflects before he acts, must take.
Every such person must regard it as q
public duty to look with unmixed
reprobation upon every act of White
Caps, whether he thinks some one has
been 'served right or not; and he
should use every means in his power
to detect and bring to justice the men
who, whatever their motives, are act
ing in lawless, brutal and cowardly
manner.-Youth's Companion.