The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-03

W. a. Bettis Makes IN Eloquent address
to the Fegro Paess Association.

! W. a. Belts Makes IN Eloquent address
to the Fegro Psess Association.
AT recent meeting Of the Western
Negro Press association held in Kan
sas City. Kan. Mr.. W. A Belts Of this
| city delivered an address which attract
| ed considerable attention. Mr.. Belts
was so sincere and eloquent that his
| speech was the cause OF a resolution be-
ing passed by the convention advoca.-
ing his views. Mr.. Belts returned home
last evening. His speech Is given YER
/ batum:
| IF at any time the peace and welfare
OF this government should be threaten
! ed and the chief executive OF the nUitei
| States would issue a call for volunteers
TO uphold and keep afloa: the stars AMI
stripes, within ;wenty-four hours 500 600
| loyal and patriotic black Americans
would be marching TO the national capt.
| tai, ready and willing to offer up their
/ lives in defense OF Old Glory But. how
ever regular may be the pulsations Of
! patriotism within his bosom, or however
ardent his loyalty 10 the flag. in many
parts Of this mob-ridden country the ne
gro is really a citizen in theory and not
in fact.
Surrounded by he benign influence OF
our great American civilization, and I'M
der constitution supposed 10 guarantee
to every citizen a right 70 trial by jury.
negroes are almost daily lynchei and
tortured in the most barbarous manner.
While the sea. OF barbari;y has hereto
fore been confined principally 20 the
south, OF late other localities have WED
with southern hotheads for the murder
Gus honors. and even Ohio, the birth
place of so many illustrious men. has
recently demonstrated that she is well
UP in the art OF human butchery: and
that even in the old Buckeye state, and
by the party we pride so highly. il IS
possibly &c elect a governor 70 whom the
rights and protection OF negro citizen
are Of small concern.
''Mob violence IN this land Of the free
and home OF the brave has assumed
such enormous proportions that every
law abiding citizen who believes in the
perpetuity OF our free institutions. has
Of late given the matter mos: serious
consideration; and trembles, as We'll he
may, for the future welfare Of any gov
eminent where mob violence Is ram
pant and human butchery a common
fad.
I'm considering mob violence and ats
remedies. Il ny. one Of the first queries
that penetrates the mind Of the aver
age citizen is Can the national govern
ment suppress i,?' To an Englishman.
reared under a monarchial government,
the task would seem an exceedingly light
one; to a Russian who knows only OF a
car and his absolute sway, the task
would seem even lighter: but in the
United tates, a republic consisting Of
different states, and each state a dis
tinct sovereign In Itself. the subject Is
far more complicated. Oftimes certain
conditions present themselves And vari-
Gus contingencies arise within the ma
tional government Is clothed with abso-
lutte power to suppress mob violence.
Zone Of he few commendable acts OF
President Cevelandis public life was the
prompt and expeditions manner in which
he suppressed the Chicago riot. when a
bowling mob, absolutely regardless OF
the rights OF life and property, was run
mink wild in the streets Of that city. His
action In this case Is often referred 10
and wrongfully cited as a precedent 10
demonstrate that the chief executive Is
clothed with right to interfere and
protect life and property at al times in
the several states without gubernatorlal
solicitation
Although the actions OF the president
in that case have been severely cri.iciz-
ed by Governor Altgeld and other prom
inent men OF his party, It is generally
conceded by most eminen. jurists that ne
exercised a wise discretion in the prem
ises and in no wise overreache1 the pow
er vested IN him by law. uBt the cla5
of mob violence IN the Chicago case Is |
very different from the form OF lawless- |
ness in which we are at this time most |
deeply interested.
when a mob in rs murderous work /
interteres with theien a:srtsyao:U'hasw |
interferes with the interstate commerce. |
obstructs the passage OF the mails. or 4
in,erferes with the execution of the fed |
eral election law. then the strong arm
OF the national government may assert |
Itself; otherwise /: is powerless TO ac;.
except by request OF the governor o: :he
state for national aid TO suppress he
mob.
THE many anti-lynching resolutions
passed by national conventions FOR the
pas, twenty years have proven TO be
nothing more or less than political bait
intending 10 deceive or entrap a certain
class o; unsuspectlng voters; principally
black ones. The great extent to which
Dur people have been deceived by such
ouncomb. is made evi1en: by the vas:
number OF colored voers who actually
believe that in every presidential cam
oaign the suppression OF lynch law Is
-eally political issue. No idea could
De more remote from the actual condi-
ions. and Il Is high time that our peo-
DE understand that lyncn.ng. IL cup
pressed. mus. be done by the several
'ta.es and no; by Republican or Dem
'cratic president
Every state has its own police pow
- and regulations for the apprehension
Z criminals. and every STATE in the IN
on has ample power % pro.ec: all prls-
ners from mob violence; and when such
Is not accorded prisoners II
5 generally due 10 a murderous p-ejO-
Ice entertained by the surrounding
ommuni.y and the officers IN charge. !
mo have no. sufficient manhood to
,and Up and discharge the duties they
re under oath - perform Such con-
i;ions canno: be wholly changed by lsg- ,
slatlon- O.hs- p-sssu-es must Re a..
roug; % bear; public sentinen; must
e nodded; and. BY the va. no factor -
aors po.en, IN moving and swaylng pub
c sentiment ;han TIRE press. Unite the
-ess .; this country in favor 90 law and :
rfe- and lvnchtrs, would san he hl. a :