Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-21
DRESSED DOWN NEATLY.

In commenting recently on the S'"'
,,+ that Pinkerton detectives had gone
70 Georgia with a view Of apprehending
the Ivncbers of Ryder, the Dispatch sald
that cit wouldn't surprise US If they made
the acquaintance Of some Of the DersonS
they are seelling-after which Or then
health will permit, they will be glad TO
take the next train back to the North.
This threw the Philadelphia Inquirer
into a distressing state of mind, ana II
proceeded TO read us a lecture, during
which II remarked that the whole lynch
ing trouble in the South was due 10 the
lack of proper public opinion in TINS sec
ton. "Public opinion at the South IL
added. "acquiesces in or approves OF the
lvncbing. and so long as this state Oh
things exists lynching will go on. The
uttor lack or utter decentralization Of pub
lie opinion in the South" it continued
sis further proved by the comment Of the
Dispatch" &c.
And now comes the Minneapolis Tri-
bune and dresses down the Inquirer In
style that is refreshing. The TRIBUNE
saws that the Enquirer as a northern pa
ner should not be too pharisaical in con-
demning the lynching proclivities Of the
South" asks if the Urbana (O) lynchers
have ever been brought to justice, states
that a lynching took place in "law-abid-
ing Minnesota" last year, and that tnere
WAC 10 prosecution. and mildly suggests
tr,,,, pennsylvania snlrts are me- e"-
tirely clear
The Tribune next expresses the opinion
that there are more lynchings in the
South. partly because the people are more
bot-tempered. and partly because they
have a larger percentage Of ilhteracy'
and after gently, and with wink, so 10
sneak. reprimandng the Dispatch Tor
talking so naughty, concludes as fol-
lows:
"But northern communities would feel
the same way, even though the newspa-
pers do not openly express H. If detec-
| tives had been sent to Minneapolis to
| ferret out and arrest the persons VINO
| took part in the lynching, years ago, o.
! a wretch who assaulted a young girl II
would have Jared badly with the detec'
tives. We may deplore the manifesto
tons of the brutal mob spirit, but 1t Is
| for those who are without gullt 10 cas-
| the first stone
The Tribune. which, by the way, is
stalwart Republican paper, makes only
one mistake, that Of saying there are
more lynchings in the South than in TIT
North because the people here are mor'
hot-tempered and the percentage of il
nteracy is greater. There are more lynch
ings in this section than in the Noru
because we have a larger population thar
has the North of the race that is espe
cially prone to the crime that leads &
the vast majority Of lynchings. lllite
racy has nothing to do with the matter
In ninety-nine cases in hundred tn
usual crime" is committed by negro
and experience has failed TO show tina
the spread Of education among tn
negroes has had tendency TO decreas
the crime. However. we will not quarre
with the Tribune on that point. III
spirit Of its article is fair just, franF
and honest. Our Minneapolis contempt
rary hits the nail squarely on the heaC
and drives it home when it characterize
such articles as that of the Philadelphi
Inquirer as pharisaical.