The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-01-23
Lynchine and Proposed Remedies.

The inaugural message Of Gov. Longlno.
OF Mississippi has attracted wider atten-
lion than any other deliveTance Of a
State executive for some years past. The
reason OF this exceptional prominence
IS that the paper is mainly devoted to
a very serious discussion o. lynching,
in which baleful business hts State has
won a nOtoriety which he and the better
portion Of his constituents deplore. Gov.
Longino asserts that Mississippi stands
second IT. the list. In other words, only
one State shows greater annual output
OF mob murders. He says that lynchings
are no longer confined 10 the perpetrators
OF crimes against women, and he warns
the legislature and people that IL this
practice Is not checked, the common
wealth must soon lapse into barbarism.
He charges the blame for this sad con-
dltion 10 public sentiment. which. he says,
is either inaccurate or defective. because
the law provides ample penalties for all
offenses. Inasmuch as moral suas.on fails
10 arouse the people sufficiently 10 the
danger and enoTmity OF mob violence,
Gov. Longino thinks it necessary to re-
sort TO some stringent legal method TO
move public opinion. Here are his rec
concentrations:
Il therefore recommend to the legislature the
wisdom and expedieEey OF passing Law giving to
The family OF any one who may hereafter be ynched
right TO recover in the ChaBcery Court heavy dam
ages against the county in which the Iynehing oe-
CURED. and the right Of recovery should be prsdi-
Gated alone upon the fact that the lynehing was
done In the county where the recovery is sought
As It IS not unusual that prisoners are taken by
mol5 from jail and from the custody of officers, I
would further suggest law providing that the
once Of sheriff or constable shall become vacant
whenever a prisoner is taken from such officer 5
custody The time is at hand for stringent meas
ures. ana l hope the legislature will be wise in
providing them"
The governor is necessarily better in
formed than any outsider can be as to
local conditions. He is, also, more deep
Iy concerned than any newspaper or in
dividual outside OF his State for he wei
fare Of the people of Mississippi. What
he recommends is the result of much
study and is prompted by the Hottest mo-
tive. But, as his first recommendation
calls for that which The Post has repeat
eddy condemned as unjust and, therefore,
impOlItlc in other States where it mas
been proposed. it may not be impertinent
TO submit an obvious and, in our opinion
a very strong objection. We can not see
the equity Of compelling citizens who
obey the laws. mind their own business
and set a good example to their fellow
citizens TO pay for damages inflicted by
the iawless elements Of the community
When a mob of night-riders goes out &c
kill and burn and lay waste, why should
the property holder who neither aids
ahets, nor sympathizes with the mis-
creants, and is sleeping in his bed while
they are committing their crimes, be re
quired to pay for the life or lives of theii
victims? Very peculiar indeed must b.
the conditions that would justify such us
of the taxing power.
The recommendation as 10 sheriffs ol
ccnstables who surrender prisoners L
MODS is good, so far as it goes; but i
might be improved by making such Off
GERS pecuniarily responsible for the live
of persons in their custody. 1t is not i'm
probable that. had such a law been il
force in the State of Kansas, the doubl
lynching at Fort Scott last week woul,
have been prevented. Hundreds, if no
thousands, Of lynchings have been rem
dered easy of accomplishment through
gross neglect of duty by officers OF III
law; and not a few of such crimes hav
been Intentionally facilitated by such off
Gals. Let the officer be bonded TO pay 70
the life of a prisoner captured from hin
and lynched, and a better class of me
would be chosen for peace officers. An
they and their bOndsmen and persona
friends would constitute an inhuentio
factor on the side of law and order.