New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-05

southwest. The repression of crime. which has
involved niger hunts" lynch law halter
justice and mob tribunals in other Southern
states, has been attempted by short cut in
Arkansas. Rape has been made capital offence
by law. and the punishment Of criminals secured
without the instrumentality OF ;ynching gangs.
Il have a negro now in Jail on a charge of
rape the sheriff OF of the most populous
counties said to me- 'and he will be hanged in
due time, but not lynched. Sometimes lynch
ing is done under popular excitement. but it is
only in anticipation OF the penalty of the law.
Horse thieves are not entitled to mercy ac-
cording to Arkansas law. and the prosecution of
train robbers is very severe. We have been
hanging them right along. Then he proceeded
to give me detailed account of the rigorous
measures taken against this class of marauders
and the promptness with which they had been
brought to justice
Ex-Governor Fishback in the course OF long
conversation with me. asserted that the law was
everywhere enforced and respected in Arkansas;
that negroes were not prosecuted. but only pun
ished like white men for fragrant crimes; and that
train robbers were convicted as rapidly as they
were caught, and hanged whenever they were
guilty Of murderous assaults. He inveighed bit
terly against the Indian Territory pesthole
which menaced the welfare OF the surrounding
States He said that II II had been a foreign
country he would have declared war upon 1t when
he was Governor of Arkansas. He described it as
a refuge for the worst desperadoes in the South
west. The military forces were not employed for
the suppression OF criminals. There was no gov
| eminent there: such thing as public authority
or order: and refugees from justice were safe
there because they could not be brought out by
process Of law. Trains were constantly attacked
pioo
their money business. and the night train service
| had been suspended and the Territory. under its
| present anomalous condition OF government. was
| 2 rendezvous for criminals and a disgrace 10 the
country So intense was Ex-Governor Fishba ok s
Indignation that it was evident that he might
have entertained seriously proposal from the IT.
| repressble Governor Hogg. Of Texas, for dec
| Iaration Of war against the Indian Territory and
| a joint military campaign.
II is safe to say that no traveller passes through
| the Indian Territory from Texas. or skirts the
edge OF IL. on the way to Little Rock without APP
prehenson Of robbery. II was not long ago that
| gang Of desperadoes attacked and plundered the
railway station at Fort Gibson In broad daylight
| while thirty forty Indians were looking on ana
| enioving the sport, Hardly week passes during
which the sheriffs Of adjacent counties in Arkan-
| Gas and Texas are not called upon TO offer re-
|
the Territory As Ex-Governor Fishback explains
| the situation the National Government has en-
,ored into treaty relations with the five tribes as
| IL they were an Independent nation entitled -
| their own local courts. and at the same time mas
| established the United States courts with con-
| ficting Jurisdiction; and the failure OF govern
ment there is the result OF these dual reIauo"s'
which render the preservation OF law ana oruer
impracticable. The Government pretends 10 pro-
| tect the rights OF the Indian. but permits sharp
| ers to exercise absolute ownership over the most
| desirable lands. inspires such feeling OF sus-
| plcion and dread Of the United States courts that
| the natives will not arrest white men eu''ty Oh
he.nous offences. and schools the young Indians
in every form OF crime The establishment OF this
rendezvous OF desperadoes and train-robbers on
the borders OF States where laws are vigorously
executed Is certainly q grievance and an outrage
| which ought 10 command the attention OF law
makers in Washington.
II Is only when Ex-Governor Fishbacks re-
| Elections are diverted from the law.ess conoiuoh
| OF the Indian Territory to his own peace'ui
farming State that he appears In his character
istic attitude a confirmed optimist NO one
can listen to his descriptions OF the timoer ana
| mineral belts and OF the agricultural resources
Of Arkansas without feeling the vibration OF
| migratory impulses Not only does prosperity
| await every settler VINO will be content 10 vary
! lis crops raising little cotton and good deal
Of grain and pork. but the lines will fall to him
! in a well-governed community, where schools
and churches building every day. and where
elections are fair and politics clean I'VE have
the Australian system here" remarked this
genial gentleman. and 1t operates as an edu-
| cational qualification. ignorance is kept down
by IT, The system is fairly carried out with
adequate representation u both parties at every
| polling place for marking the ballots OF the
! iliterate." Happy Arkansas, II. alone among the
! Southern States it has learned TO deal Justly
| with the negro and 10 have a well-ordered and
| honest system OF elections as Il OASIS OF repre-
/ sentative government,
| But alas, there are pessimsts even in Ar
| kansas and they are. moreover Democrats OF
! character and influence VINO regard these state
ments with distrust and suspicion. the new
election law IL better than the old one, they as
sert land II discourages ignorant Young by
| keeping negroes away from the polls Dut elec-
tons are not always fair; there Is some cheatnS'
although not as much OF II as formerly; ana par
tisan advantage is taken OF the regu'a,ro Ions i9r
| the appointment OF election officials Ihere Is
no registry law: citizens must pay poll-tax ana
present the receipt before they can vote ana the
county election boards are apponteu ny lne
| Governor and two associates and these In turn
name the officials for each poiing-place IN the
proportion Of two Democrats to one RepuDhcah.
The system works fairly we'll but IL leaves tne
machinery Of elections in the hands OF me Dem.
ocrats AS for the prosperity OF the State' IL
is a myth The farming people are wfetcneuly
moor: railway construction has Deeh suspehueu'
and ali Industrial interests are parayZed The
| Populist movement is more formidable than the
election returns indicate The Democratic FARMER
| is desperate in these hard times ana reaoy 10
| break away from the party II he can De re-.
| leased from dread OF race domination, 30 !.
| seems after ALL that politics In Arkansas may
| not be a game OF "seven-up with chi.u.
While IL Is not easy TO reconcile omciai Dp
| timism with such stark naked candor as Is us
closed by these Democratic pessimists' IL 10 pos
| announcement In both Arkansas ana IeAas.
That Hes in the rapid extension ana saus,acsoiS
operatlon OF the local option system which -
to-day working out in those States teihpe'aIee
.aforrn In the most nractcal way. with me IoIct