The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-28
MOB RULE A MENACE.


From the Philadelphia Press.
There is no need of lingering on the
sickening details of the Georgia iynchng.
The affair in all its revolving details has
been spread before the public and no pro-
founder impression can be made by their
repetition. 1t is useless also to argue
with men like Governor Gambler, of
Georgia, who are either too supine or
have too little respect for the law them
selves to understand the nature of the
results of such lawless affairs. Educated
men like Charles J. Bonaparte, of Balu-
more, and Iokc Smith and those men,
bers of the bar of Georgia who not only
acquicsce in lynching but defend IL In
certain cases, can also be brushed aside
as unworthy of notice. IL they have not
learned the uselossncss of mob law as
crime deterrent after trying 1t for twenty
two years their case is hopeless.
o
The aspect Of this question which needs
to be brought before the northern public
Is the effect these exhibitions of barbar-
ism are having and are likely to have on
public sentiment in this section. That
respect for law has lessened and the re-
sort to the mob has increased in north
ern states during the past ten years is
evident to any one who keeps in touch
with passing events. Within the past
few years nearly dozen men have been
lynched in Indiana and one man has been
lynched and two others saved from the
mob's fury by the aid of the militia in
Ohio. Scattered cases of mob law have
occurred in other states and attempts at
lynching are heard of in communities
which twenty years ago would have been
insulted by an intimation that anything
but the usual course of justice would be
tolerated within their limits.
o
All these signs of the gradual growth
of the mob spirit are too evident to be
ignored. When the south began lynchng
colored men for criminal assaults upon
women the law-ablding class made no
protest. In fact many applauded it and
continue to do so. They excuse this sum
mary method of justice by the claim
that 1t is necessary TO impress in the
strongest and sternest way upon the
negro mind the fact that punishment
would follow the commission of that
crime in the quickest possible manner.
Under this popular acquiescence in mob
law lynchings went on indiscriminately,
and soon the mob naturally came to think
that as lynching was excused in one class
of crimes 1t would be excused in other
classes of crimes, Then lynching for
murder began and soon lynching for rob-
berry and incendiarism followed. And to-
I day. there is no kind of crime in the
south which is not liable to be punished
by lynching provided the person who
committed it is colored.
80
The brutalizing effect of this submission
to mob law is evident in every commun-
| ity in the south. There is not a county
| which has not felt its demoralizing
| results. To a traveller from the north this
condition of society at first causes pain.
full shock, and the question is inevitably
| asked whether northern society can sink
| to the same level 1t certainly will un-
| less strenuous efforts are made to check
the growth of the mob spirit and public
opinion is educated to respect law and
| order. There must be no acquiescence in
| mob law for any reason whatever and
| the authorities must be promptly and Wig
orously upheld in their efforts to main.
tain the majesty of the law. 1t is bet.
| ter that score of the guilty should es.
cape justice than that the brutal passions
of a mob should glut its vengeance or
| one criminal. In no other way can the
! community be saved from the demoral.
ization sure to follow public acquies-
cence i'll the rule Of the mob.
| %
The pulpit and the newspapers have
| the chief responsibility in this matter
| They have the ear of the public and car
inform and mould public sentiment as
| no other authorities can. Ihe promp1
condemnation passed on the Georgia
! lynchlnG by the Baptist ministers meet
ing Of Monday was encouraging. 1t should
| be followed by similar utterances from
every denomination and from every pulpi
In the north. The voice OF the newspa
pers should be no less emphatic and unan
imous in deLunciation of mob law. From
every authoritative source and by every
means public sentiment should he aroused
to the enormity of lynchinS if civilization
is to be preserved and the north saveC
from the Generalization which prevail!
so extensively in the south.