The San Francisco call., 1895-05-23
WHERE TERROR STRIKES.

1t is instructive to read that the people
OF Sacramento are preparing to reorganize
their Citizens Safety Committee, which a
few months ago cleared that city OF the
evil characters who were disturbing its
peace. We are assured that "the rough
element is again coming to the front, at
tempting murders and committing bur-
glaries and highway robberies." 1t is
added that directly after the murder of
the Webers, when there were almost
nightly burglaries and highway robberies.
when the city was overrun by tramps and
other worthless characters, the committee
came into existence and soon cleared the
city Of that very undesirable element"
This means to say that the machinery of
the law is inadequate for the purposes of
its creation and that it has to be strength
ened by the voluntary interference of
private citizens. That is no reflection
upon the law officers of Sacramento in
particular. 1t is condition of affairs that
may arise at any time in any American
city; that often does arise, and that some
times, in its fullest demonstration, con-
stitutes more violent breach against the
law than the evils at which it is aimed.
There is nothing in the suggestion from
Sacramento that indicates any approach
to lynch law, but only desire to assist
the established law. Still, it does pro-
claim the inadequacy OF the law, and
where that feeling exists there is but
short step to the violent setting aside of
the courts and the dealing out of that
justice which every good citizen knows
should be the rule.
II hae haar n lon TINA cinno 4a
allied to lynchings and vigilance commit
tees have been known in Europe. When
some great criminal, as regicide, is cap
tured there is often wild rush to lynch
him, but that is solely because the desire
for vengeance is rife, and not through any
fear that the courts will be laggard or un-
reliable. Every movement of American
citizens looking to the bringing forth of a
power which is lacking in the law is pro-
test against the inadequacy of the courts
and an appeal for their reformation
Mexico, the other day, passed remark
able law, making it the duty of officers to
execute on the spot, without trial or a
moments delay, all train-robbers who
take life in the pursuit of their robbery.
This was done with an understanding of
the fact that the swiftness with which pun
ishment Is made to follow the crime is a
vital part of its exemplary effect.
In other words, Mexico has not only
legalized lynching under certain circum-
stances, but has made it a binding duty
and this is in recognition of the fact that
lynching is the most formidable of all
checks upon the commission OF capital
crimes in America. Nothing strikes so
deep terror as mob of earnest, upright
citizens sweeping aside the law, breaking
down its iails and leading forth its prison
ers in the dead of night to fearful doom
and it is most instructive fact that these
men, themselves greater violators of the
law than the knaves they put to death, are
very rarely molested, and, on the contrary,
are supported by popular sentiment.
1t is an unwholesome and incongruous
state of affairs. Our laws are weak enough, /,
and running through them is that absurd
est of fictions that man is presumed to be
innocent until his guilt is proved; but
their weaknesses are magnified by the
Judges, who in the exercise of their discre-
ton give criminals an advantage against
which the law must struggle. There is no
terrifying effect of punishment following
quickly after the deed, and SO the essen
tial part of punishment is lost. When q
man at last is hanged the newspapers
have to refresh the public memory by
printing history of the crime.