New-York tribune., 1895-12-12
GROWING REFERENCE FOR LAW.

n nplltnlU Is spltauiHe 'hi""~"
the South Lawessncss is becoming less pop
ular. There is an increasing volume OF protest
in the Southern newspapers against moD vio-
lcnce and lyncling and much serious discussion
of methods 10 insure the orderly administration
Of Justice A moral awakening has come, ana
naturally enough 1t Is concldcnt with the po-
liticnl breaking Of the Solid South. CharacteN
develops AZ whole. and as people grow out
of the prcjudlccs which made them the bllnd
adhcrentS of party regardless Of principle, and
cease TO be tolerant Of election frauds they also
become more sensitive OF other flaws in their
social system
4 few wears ago comment, however kindly in
tone. on the lynching evil was bitterly resented
as an exhibition Of sectional hatred If 1t came
from the North, as traitorous II it came from
the South. But that time Is fast going BY "ihc
New Orleans Times-Democrat. In chance
gathering Of opinions from the Mississippi press
on various topics Of interest in that state. prints
several thoughtful discussions Of lynching called
out by the Marlborough case The NicksDurS
Post declares that there was no excuse 1or
lynchng the prisoner. as there was some doubt
about his identity and no prospect Of his escaping
legal punishment, and II adds 1T appears I'M
possible for the courts to please the lawless
element in this State In another case, that
"of VIII Purvis, in Marion County, the mob
Thought the punishment was too severe, and
"therefore attacked the jail AMI liberated the
prisoner 1t Is probable Hryiss sentence
would have been commuted to imprisonment
for life, on account of his youth and of pcti-
'tions in his favor, If he had remained In Gus
"tody Both Of those events indicate spirit
- t,.. Statn bch
lis discredabe to it, Possibly race prejudice
"was manifest in both instances-the negro was
'.lvnched and the white man was liberated.
The full power Of the State should
'be invoked to punish the lawless men and boys
"who compose the mobs.' The Meridian Her
ald' proposes as remedy that every county in
which lynchAg takes place be made liable
TO the family oi the victim for $1,000 for which
the entire taxable property shall be liable and
the payment of which shall be enforced by the
State. This making everybody pay for the acts
Of a mob. it believes. would soon create pub
llc sentiment which would put an end to lynch
ing. The Jackson News sees no remedy but
I'm an Improvement in public conscience. and
somewhat cynically remarks: Thanks 10 the
superior civilization Of Mississippi, the Msss-
.sip,i mob sticks TO the old hanging plan. accom-
'panied sometimes with the nimble Winchester
last to hurry up the matter little. But there
~ no telling when the more horrible atrocities
may be resored to-
That such expressions as these should not be
I'm ncommon in the South is an indication of i'm
proved feeling. Less and less are the respect
able people themselves taking part in these mobs,
or defending them as peculiar institution.
They are coming to be solely outbreaks Of the
lawless element which cares not what the issue
may be SO long rs it has a chance to riot. That
element exists in every community In most
it is kept in subordination. In the South It's out
RACES have too often been in the line Of popular
prejudice. Happily that prejudice grows less.
Every deed Of violence exctes more condemna-
ton at home than the last and less defence
There are yet newspapers which comment with
approval on every exhibition Of mob rule, but
they may be trusted 10 reform II not encouraged
in their course by njudicous opposition. Any
thing tending to stir mp race feeling should be
avoided by the friends Of order Impassioned
appeals and threats Of retaliation by negroes or
whites in the North can only set back the grow
ing reverence for law. There have been times
when passions ran So high that external re-
sraint has been necessary for the safety of large
classes In the South, but that time is passed.
The better element in the South need only sym
patty and encouragement to work ont their own
political industrial and social salvation.