The times., 1899-05-15

ether part of the country, ever considers
Southern affairs at all. or thinks of such
thing as trying to iniure the Southern
people. Things have been said about the
peculiar results OF lynch law in those
States. but the Southern papers themselves
have spoken as strongly as those of the
North. The prevalent impression of the
South among most Northern people is un-
doubtedly that given by Hopkinson Smith,
Page, and Mrs. Stuart. rather than by the
distorted presentation of Uncle Toms
Cabin" which is still dragging out feeble
old age behind the footlights.
Ii is not right for Northern newspaper
to call Davis and Lee rebels or attempt
10 revive the feelings of 1861. All possible
pains should be taken TO present the mo-
tives of the leaders of the Confederacy in
their true light. and the leading newspaper
and magazines of the country have given
Southern writer's full liberty to do this.
1t is doubtful if there are many intelli
gent people in the North and West who do
not understand why the South fought, and
reverence the courage and high devotion
to principle OF the Southern leaders. On
the other hand. Southern newspapers-and
there are a few narrow minded and un-
| scrupulous men in that section of the
country as well as elsewhere-should not
deliberately misrepresent the Northern at
titude. To sneer at Northern women, and
denounce Northern men as hypocritical
fanatics. as some Of them do, is not good
plan. 1t does not hurt the people they
abuse. of course. because most of these
co not know anything about it. but it does
make the readers OF such denunciations
marrow minded and unjust, and that is a
very evil thing. The present agitation in
regard to lynching is the most fruitful
cause of such misrepresentation. No
man, North or South. would condemn the
prompt and merciless punishment OF the
crime which has provoked some of these
| lynchings; what does arouse condemna-
ton is making a public holiday of the oc-
casion and the sending OF pieces of flesh
and other relics" around the country. A
community which is a party to such a
| performance as that is barbaroUs, and
nothing can make it otherwise. To in
form such a community that other Ameri-
cans are hypocritical and unjust in their
condemnation, that the same thing takes
place all over the country. and that the
horror aroused by the atroeity is only a
manifestation of hatred of the South and
political intrigue. is a dangerous thing
TO do. 1t fosters the spirit of ferocity in
mobs, and the next victim they select may
rot be guilty of any crime at all. OF the
thirty lynchings which have taken place
in the South during the last few months
only six were for the "unpardonable
crime" and half dozen others were on
no evidence at all. The lawlessness which
leads four young ruffans to fire into a
negro cabin and kill fourteen-year-o
boy, without any proyocation whatever, is
thing which it viii not do to encourage;
and that happened in one OF the Southern
States not very long ago. Let this thing
be argued out coolly and sensibly, and
with due consideration of the fact that
crime is committed by minority of reck-
less men. not by the sober and enlightened
judgment of respectable people To excuse
and pailiatc the offences of these men, and
minimize the power OF the law. will be
the worst thing for the South which could
possibly be done-far worse than any per-
secution from other parts of the country.