The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-28

and the wisdom of the Anglo-Saxon.
cannot discuss this question now further
than TO make one suggestion.
To educate this element without, at the
same time, giving them moral instruction
is an injustice to them and to society. 1t
is, therefore. the part of wisdom 10 look
more to character in selecting the teach
ers, who are TO receive our money for SER
vices in the school room.
The best of the race intellectually and
morally should be selected 10 teach in
public schools. The law should require the
school authorities to look closely into the
conduct and character of each applicant
before license is granted TO teach This
provision should apply alike to white and
black. In every way possible we should
endeavor to improve the morals of the
people by imparting, through the school
room, correct principles and pure moral
ity The teachers should not only train
the mind, but build noble characters.
This l suggest as one of the factors that
would aid in reducing our criminal pop
ulation.
This, however. must necessarily be slow
! in having its effect. while present condi-
tons call for quick and repressiVe meas
! ures
| GOVERNMENT, CRIME AND LYNCH
ING.
The graver crimes are of alarming fire.
| quency, and more seriously affect that
! portion of our population who reside out
! side the towns and cities. In these sec
| TONS the crime of burglary arson and
rape have become more frequent than in
| the years of disorder which followed the
| civil war.
The frequency of the offense of rape
! has become alarming in the extreme, and
| seriously interferes with the security and
| comfort of living in the country. There
| are now in the penitentiary seventy-eight
| convicts for assault to rape, and eighty
! one for rape.
| OF all crimes known to our law, these
! two are the most Viliainous. Their fire.
| quency has terrorized the people residing
| in rural districts, and so aroused their fear
/ and resentment that it has been impossi-
! bic in many of these cases to induce them
| to await the action of the courts.
| Since Nov. l, 1894 there have been twelve
| negroes lynched who were charg-
ed with rape and assault with intent to
rape, and one white man, who was charg-
| ed with rape
| In addition to these there have been
| seven negro men, one negro woman and
one white man lynched, who were charg-
| ed with other offenses. Total for three
| years, p, or a little more than per year.
| These occurred in the following countless
! Applng, Clinch, Dolly, Habersham, Mon
roe, Montgomery, Spaldng, Muscogee
Talbot, Colquitt, Twiggs, Jasper, Calhoun
and Bibb.
In dealing with this question the people
| of the southern states are of all people,
in the most trying position. Here a large
! per cent of our population has been cloth
ed with the rights and privileges of citi-
Zenship before receiving the training nee
essary to prepare them for the duties and
| responsibilities of so important a position.
If the same population had been placed
| among the people of any other section Of
the union, they would have the same prob
! lem to deal with which now confronts us,
! and would find juss as much human nature
among their people as is exhibited by
| ours.
/ Notwithstanding the anomalous condi-
ton which exists here. our people deplore
| mob violence, but should be more deter
| mined in insisting upon leaving to courts
and juries the punishment of violators of
the law.
If defects exist in the law. the remedy
| is not to ignore and violate the law, but
to amend it. The citizen cannot be jusu-
! ned In tramping upon law and assuming
%sae functions of judge, jury and execu-
toner.
The frequency of such occurrences with
in the last few years is calculated to
alarm every citizen who realizes the dread
full results to which it leads. or the enor-
| nifty OF the crime against human rights,
government and civilization. To denoml-
nate these offenses lynchings do not make
them less lawless or barbarous.
1t Is an attack upon government itself
"a conflict between the forces of anarchy
and law. IL is fundamentally wrong be-
| cause IL detieS government, Ignores law
( and Furnishes without law or evidence. I'm
der our government, laws are made and
unmade at the will of the majority. If
/ there are unwise laws, the people can re-
peal If a need for one, the people can
enact. Any organized effort to set at
| naught our laws and punish crime with
out and in defiance of the law is itself
| criminal. Ii is worse than criminal. In
its very essence II is treason against the
majority and against government.
In the discussion of lynching, let 1t be
| clearly understood that it Is not ques-
| ton as to whether or not those guilty OF
crime shall be punished, but whether or
! not the innocent shall escape. Not a
! question as TO whether the guilty shall be
punished, but whether or not the act of
! Furnishing shall multiply criminals.
In a free government like ours there Is
no excuse for lynching. If there is evil
dence to convict the courts will punish;
/ If there Is not. punishment should not
! be inflicted. The courts of our state can
/ be trusted to punish the guilty and pro-
tect our property, our persons and the
honor and virtue of our women.
TRIAL BY MOB.
The mob is not a safe tribunal to Justly
/ determine any cause.
Not long since in this state It is said
that mob, which had gathered. failed
to take action because of a division in
their own ranks, one portion wish
ing to hang a man who had not been
tried, and the other. to liberate one who
had been tried, heard in all the courts
and sentenced to be hanged for murder
The mob judges without full and COM
pete hearing from both sides It's men,
! bers are not the most capable of judging
| 1t decides I'm passion and, too often, I'm
whisky. How can it fail TO make mis-
takes and sacrifice the lives of the inno-
| cent?
/ feel the more deeply upon this ques-
ton because from the best information
can secure, / believe; that during my adj
ministration there have been in this state
| several men ynched who were not guilty
| of the crimes with which they were
| charged. How many, can never be known
for their tongues are hushed and they are
| denied an opportunity to prove their inno-
| cence. l am Informed that one man.
| whom the mob believed to be guilty, was
shot down. A question then arose as TO his
identity and he was sailed down like a