The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-02-17
Go to the Root of the Matter.

The subject OF lynching in the south is
being discussed by the press and the pull
pit. It attained such proportions during
the year 1892 as to cause serious alarm,
and remedies for the evil are called for.
Most of the victims of unlawful execu-
tons in the south have been negroes.
Colored preachers have had a great deal
to say about this, very naturally, and
one OF them from Texas has been holding
forth in New York in agitation of a move
ment for the prevention of these tout
RACES on his race. He expects to arouse
strong feeling in the north against the
| lynchers in the south. Probably he will
have no difficulty in that. It is easy TO
appeal to prejudice especially when there
is some show of justice in the appeal.
But would it not be more just and more
effective in the prevention of the evil COM
planned Of, if strong movement were
made to suppress the outrages by eolored
people which give occasion to it? Trace
up the lynchings of negroes in the south
to their cause, and it viii be found in the
brutal lusts of those wretches whose lives
were forfeited by their crimes.
Lynching is all wrong. Mob law is bad
law. It ought not to be allowed to pre-
vail, anywhere. 1t is blot on the civil
ization of the age. But it is consequent
upon something worse. The hanging OF
negro who has outraged a white woman
is bad But how much more evil and
horrible is the crime for which he is law
fully executed The burning of the black
monster who committed the diabolical
deeds on a three year old chilli was sick
ening in its cruel vengeance. But what
about the fendish acts which prompted
the tragedy?
| Colored preachers had better turn their
attention towards the causes of these re-
peated lyncnings and use their eloquence
upon their own race, to suppress the ten
dency toward violence aud RIGHTEOUSNESS
that has been rampant among them.
Sometimes deeds are done for which there
is no adequate legal punishment, and then
enraged people provide the penalty them
selves. That IS wrong. no doubt, but the
original wrong is the greater and the
proper thing to do is to strike at that. If
eioquence and organization can help to do
away with negro diabolism, negro lynch
ing will soon disappear with it.
The laws ought to be made more strin-
gent in cases of outrage such as those
which startle the country 80 often and
give color of excuse for lynching. But
they cannot be made special to the colored
race. Is it because they must be made to
apply to all. that the penalties are not
made more severe? Capital punishment
Tor rape is not any too great. But it must
be equal upon the white brute as upon the
negro ruffian.
Unlawful executions should be sup
pressed if possible. The law should be
upheld and respected. But to secure this
punishments must be made to fit the
crimes and justice deal sure and certain
work. Meanwhile let the colored preach
ers OF the South make by exertions to keeE
down the passions OF their own people and
teach them obedience to law and decency,
and they will find they can do more in
that way than any other. The New York
brother is putting the cart before The
horea ,,