The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-30
THE HOME MISSIONARY FIELD.

The use of dynamite in connection with
street-railway strikes in Northern cities and
the revolving exhibitions of savagery in
lynchings In the South are incidents which
should not be passed in silence. 1t may do
no good to deplore them, yet it seems that
public attention should be called to them.
In both the cities where dynamite was used
to blow up elevated tracks or cars contain
ing human beings. the leaders in the strikes
disclaimed all responsibility for the use of ex-
plosives and denounced those using them.
In both instances labor leaders have charged
the officers of the companies with respon-
sibiity for these outrages on the ground
that they would change public sentiment.
1t is encouraging indication that those on
both sides who are responsible for the
strikes denounce such murderous methods.
But the use of dynamite and other explo-
sives and the hurting of missiles through
car windows proves, as Mayor Farley has
said, that in all the larger cities there is
an element that avails itself of any disturb
ance to commit the darkest crimes-an ele-
ment which is held constantly in check by
the officers of the law. 1t is impossible to
say who these men are. 1t is suspected that
many of them are foreign criminals. There
is reason to suspect that many of them are
natives who have grown up in the midst of
schools and c.Irches in a country which
boasts the best civilization of the age. Are
such fiends merely degenerates. or are there
influences which tend to make a class of
persons the enemies of law and order?
AZ Hox- haox,
several lynchngs. One case is reported
where. after the victim of the mob was
dead his body was cut into pieces and the
fragments given to those who witnessed the
lyncning as souvenirs. People have looked
eagerly for denial of this report of re-
pulsive fiendishness. but none has appeared.
People have been shocked at the recital of
the fiendishness of Indians in time of war.
and in their indignation have demanded the
destruction of the power of Turkey because
of the barbarism of the Turks in their treat
ment OF the Armenians. but no Indian bar
barity or Turkish outrage has presented a
spectacle so abhorrent the cutting up of
a human body that the pieces might be
distributed as souvenirs: and yet the men
In a country OF schools and churches. Doubt
less all OF them have heard what is called
the gospel preached. yet paganism could
not present a more revolving spectacle
II may not be Of any use to say that while
our churches are sending missionaries TO
heather or foreign lands, in all our
large cities there are localities in which
criminalty is so intrenched that the church
has abandoned them. thus tacitly admitting
that they are beyond the influence of Chris
tianity. II efforts are made to redeem such
spots they are attacked by the weaker rath-
err than the stronger forces Of the Christian
church. In the localities where lynching
prevails there seems to be opportunity for
the missionary IL the churches are looking
for a benighted people to whom to preach
the gospel which viii redeem men from Jaw
lessness and savagery.
1t is not Intended to hold the churches re-
ssoz--ais fsr dynamiters, lynchers and the