The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-10
CARRYING WATER ON BOTH
SHOULDERS.

It was Chief Justice Bleckley. of Georgia.
who in an address to the Bar Association
OF that state denounced the cowardice of
the country press as largely responsible
for the prevalence OF mob Law. The mob
were educated by the contemplate policy
of omission. evasion and silence to con-
slider IL light thing to commit acts OF
lynch law. If the press spoke out with
out qualification in denunciation of lynch
law Chief Justice Bleckley believed that
public opinion would soon become edu-
Gated to understand that under no circum-
stances in a free country. with free bal
lot. Is there any extenuation for acts of
lynch law.
Here is an extract from the Colfax Com
moner, which Is an excellent illustration of
the contemplate cowardics of the local
pres, in the matter of lynch law. We
quote:
"While there are two opinions in the
premises the sentiment of approval seems
TO be largely in the majority.
Personally We are opposed to lynch
law under any and all circumstances, yet
there are times when it seems that such
prompt ana vigorous measures are needed.
Whether this was one of those times
we shall not attempt TO affirm or deny.
Conclusions are left for the people to
draw in accordance with their own views
and sense of justice"
1t Is on this kind of namby-pamby talk
on the part OF the local press that mob
Law feeds and grows fat This expression
of opinion recalls James Russell Lowell's
Letter of q Candidate:"
81 don't drink no sperets
And hsin's signed no pledge.
amt wig; ain't tory
I'm Just kind o. peri-wig:
I'm just candidate, in short"
Another paper, the Pullman Graphic,
says:
''The Graphic does not favor lynch law,
but in the absence Of any law that will
protect peaceabie citizens in a civilized
community, it believes in the people
taking those things into their own hands.
While we deplore the necessity, we glory
in whitman's grit. We congratulate q
long suffering public and build high on
the result"
All this defense or extenuation of lynch
law Is utter rot" 1t does not make q
particle of difference whether Hill was
guilty or not The laws Of the state of
Washington were made, not sisaply by the
people OF Collar. of Pullman. or Of the
county of Whitman; they were made by
the people of the whole state for the whole
state. If the people do not care enough
sboat their duty at the polls to see to il
that juries are selected by somebody be-
sides political hummers, who FIJI the jury
lists with political bummers IL they do
not care enough about their duty TO see to
IL that the prosecuting officer is q man of
vigor. Eeai, honesty and ability; that the
| judges whom they elect are fit for their
| position, they must suffer the conse-
| quences of their indifference or sentiment
tally, and must correct their blunders
where they made them--at the ballot box
What farce does free government be-
come when the people after going TO the
| polls and eleeting sheriffs. judges and
| legislatures proceed 20 kick the ballot box
into the street and say to the legislature,
the courts and the iuries they have SOL
emily created: "If judgments of our
courts and the verdicts of our juries do
not satisfy US. we. the mob. will murder
the prisoner" What Kind OF civilization
/ is this that confesses that free government
| has fallen down fat; that We have re-
lapsed into barbarian, since we trample
our laws under foot and call ''mob" in
some corner OF the state 1.-The people. ="
| The "mob" Is never "the people" The
| people" are not the inhabitants Of Coliax
| or Pullman or Seattle or Tacoma or Spo-
kane: they are the people of the whole
state, who made their own laws and ere
sted their own courts and judicial ma
| ehtnery BY their own free viii a. the ballot
boz. II they have made mistake they
| mus. correct il where they made it-st the
/ ballot box. "the mob 10 never the people
no matter whether il - "a mob" In broad
/ cloth or in h.ae jeans; whether il tramples
| the laws OF the state under foot and CON-
/ mlts . murder in Cogfax or in Seattle
Way have any courts, any legislatures.
any laws, any iGries Il the mob" styled
the people are the highest court 81 appeal;
the mob that baIlaoEs the machinery OF
the ls~ By saying If your conclusions sat
/ isfy Us. vel and good, Il not ne will
murder the prisoner; IL would ee Just IS
logical 80 ''mob"s Judge, prosecuting
/ ofiicsr or jary whose conclusions did no.
1 please the crowa There will away. be
weak OF eorrupt judges, weak or hstlsss
/ prosecutors. sentimental or ignorant or
corrupt iuries. or vleiens laws IL the people
do nes sssad iAesT Psisfsoai Assssess. 80 80 tks
I rslis and sc 90 u that the LAYS are cor
recisd; that rigorous ard competent ex-
/ scnsives 0t the laws are p.Ased tn power.