The San Francisco call., 1899-08-13
AUCTION SALES.
LYNCHINGS IN THE SOUTH.

NUI OF the fearful lynchlngS WhCh nave Iol-
lowed one another with such rapidity in the
~ South of late there has come at least one good
result The appalling nature OF some OF these ter
ribe offenses against law and humanity has startled
the intelligence OF the Southern people with fear
their States may be drifting back barbarism, and
from the Potomac to the Rio Grande the more
earnest leaders, white and black are busily engaged
in discussing the evil with view to finding some
prompt and adequate remedy.
1t is significant OF the earnestness OF the phase
OF the discussion that lynching is longer justified
ofhand on the ground that it is the natural and
proper retaliation OF the white upon the negro
who assaults white woman. The Southern people
are now aware the federation shown to lynchers in
cases OF that kind has prompted the fawless and
rowdy element in the South to to it almost
any kind OF provocation and to carry it to the ex-
trene OF savage cruelty. AS a consequence the plea
in defense of lynching but little heard OF late 1t
is now almost universally conceded to be evil and
the trend OF the debate is toward devsing for
its suppression.
Many OF the leading among the negroes have
given up the problem in fiat despair. At a recent
meeting of the council OF elders OF the African Metho-
dist Episcopal church of Georgia and Alabama a
resolution was adopted setting forth the deplorabe
condition of the negroes in the Southern States, and
a committee was appointed to petition Congress to
appropriate $Ioooooooo to subsidize line of steam
ships between the United States and Africa facili-
tate negro emigration to that continent.
The whites are naturally more hopeful. 1t is not
in the nature OF the American white man to despair
in the face of any kind OF governmental problem. 1t
is asserted by of the speakers and the writers
the subject that the practice of lynching has
sprung up in the South largely because of the laws
delay and the inefficency of the courts An elab-
array OF statistics has been published in leading
Southern papers showing that of the number of per
indicted for murder comparatively few are con-
vcted, and the conclusion is drawn that the people
resort to ynching in the of great crimes because
they have confidence in the courts.
At a recent meeting of the Georgia Chautauqua
Society at Barnesville the Hon. Dupont Guerry of
Macon disputed the charge made against the courts
and declared: "Those who have SO much TO saw
about legal technicalities either demagogues or
ignoramuses who do not know technically from a
great constitutional provision" Mr. Guerry argued,
however that since it is clear the people demand a
swter process of law. it would be better to provide
it than to sui unit to the alternative OF ynching
BY way of'bringing the issue in definite form be-
fore the people the speaker submitted the outlines Of
bill providing for prompt justice. According to
the Atlanta Constitution, the bill continues the or
ganization of the Grand Jury from one term to
another makes it conservator of the peace and re-
quires it to at called terms of court provides
that witnesses may be summoned at once to attend
called terms and for appointment of counsel in ad-
vance and for trial that term if parties can get
ready: provides for immediate hearing OF motion o.
new trial immediate bill of EXCEPTIONS and imme-
date hearing in Supreme Court
bill of the kind providing for what may be called
Shortcut trial in times of popular excitement may
not be as good the safeguarded trials to which
are accustomed, but it is better than lynch law. 1t
is 10 be hoped the Georgians will try it. Certainly
some organization is needed TO conserve the peace
and promote good order in the lynch-ridden coun-
ties of the State, and Grand Jury might well be as
signed the task.