The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-05-02
GIVE THE LAWYER HIS DUES.
The Others Who Share with the Profession
the Responsibility for Lynching.

FTOm the Galveston News.
Gov. Candler. of Georgia, starts ont
with the assertion that Il believe the
whole trouble Of these disorders IS trace
able to politics" He winds 1p, snoN ever.
with Woe unto you, We lawyerSN He
says that there are evils which must be
corrected at all hazards THAT is tine GUS
TOM" says he which has grown I'D
among some OF the members of the legal
profession of trying by technicalities and
bubbles TO protect their clients. even
when guilty. \ lawyer swears to see that
his client has justice This he ought 10
90 whether that client is rich or poor
black or white. When ne does this he
has done his whole duty and he Is not
Justifable In trying 10 defeat the ends
OF justice and tampering with the verdict
OF the JuTies and the judgments OF the
court by resort to dilatory pleas and
riere technicalities. This evil has grown
to such an extent that il is made an ex-
cuse for lynch law, the mob claiming thai
II they do not take the administration OF
justice in their own hands il will not lie
administered, that the lawyers by such
means as | have mentioned will cheat
the Sallows or the penitentiaries and
turn loose upon society the burglar. the
red-h2nded murderer or the assaulter."
No one doubts that lawyers are 10 some
extent responsible for the delays and
failures of the courthouse. but they play
only a part in courthouse farces, and
ii is part which they are expected 10
play. They are even less dangerous than
loose or incompetent Judges, or Judges
who look out for technical or imaginary
flaws with the zeal Of the cleanly and
cranky housewife on the stage, VINO fol-
lowed every dish around in an apparent
eageTness 10 find fly.
The lawyers, Judges, Jurors, professional
brokers OF the courthouse. newspapers
that refuse or fail 20 condemn crime or
the failure 10 punish crime, the citizen
who remains silent and inactive as a
means CT helping along his busiHess-an
these are directly responsible for certs n
miserable messes in Georgia and ia other
States But none Of the 1elinquents men
toned. none Of the active agents OF the
criminals, can be pointed out as the causes
leading TO the lynching Of men whom all
the courts stand ready 10 convict and
bring 10 the scaffold. NOBODY can doubt
that sam Hose would have been promptly
tried. convicted and hanged. The courts
Of Georgia have not failed 10 convict ae-
sTOcs suhty OF hisE cflHtes Inc c-lHlIi@ai
lawyers have worked In vain 70 clear
clients charged with the shocking crimes
for which these negroes were iynched.
Therefore. Gov Gamblers effort TO place
the recent lynchings at The doors Of the
lawyers is hardly In order, unless ne
means 70 say that the lawyers hold out
10 the men engaged in the bloody work
Of the mob standing promise OF safety
and d certainty % acquittal Il Is all vel!
enough 10 regard Gov. Gambler sag
gestioDs. but IL must be clear 10 every
reader that he fails TO reach a growing
danger that can only be reached by some
legitimate method OF protecting the MOTH
ers, wives. sisters and daughters OF Geor-
eia farmers whose homes are far apzrt