The leader., 1901-01-30
GOOD CITIZENS TO THE FRONT

county.
GOOD CITIZENS TO THE FRONT.
Gov. Longino, more than once, has
emphasized the Importance of the
faithful and impartial enforcement of
law in Mississippi, and pointed out that
unless the best citizens of the commun-
ity come to the front and exert their
influence against lawlessness, the State
would seriously suffer in reputation
abroad and in security to life and
property at home.
The truth of the Governors wise ad
monition has been many times illus
trated by the experience of Lincoln
county during the last few years, and
of late with increasing force. AS THE
l. ADER has said on more than one oc-
casion before, neither life nor property
is guaranteed the necessary security
in Lincoln county. In proof of this,
we have only to point to the numerous
incendiary fires, robberies, and homo
cides of late which have become at
once serious and alarming by their
boldness and frequency. The county
is soon 10 lose permanently one of its
most valuable industrial enterprises
on account of the application of the
incendiary's torch, while owners of
others feel discouraged and apprehen.
sive from their recent experience.
How can it be reasonably expected that
new ones will come under such cir
cumstances? 1t will soon come to the
point that it will be difficult for busi-
ness men to secure insurance at any
reasonable price, unless a remedy is
applied. No mans life is safe in the
county, whom some conscienceless as
sassin considers he has sufficient mo-
tive to shoot down. These are un-
palatable facts, but that they are facts,
no informed citizen will deny.
And now for the cause. AS THE
LEADER sees it, the responsibility for
this unwelcome state of affairs rests
not so much on the comparatively
small criminal class in the community
as upon the great body of citizens who
commit no crimes-but who, from
various reasons, do not rise to the full
measure of good citizenship and de-
mand faithful and impartial enforce
ment of the laws on our statute books.
The LEADER further believes that,
taken as a whole, Lincoln county has
as good and conscientious set of off,
cials as any county in the State and
one Of the best judges and district at
torneys the State affords; but too often
these officials are given half-hearted
support in the discharge of their duties
by men who rate themselves as good
citizens, and who, even when law break
ers have been run down and convicted,
are swift to discredit the law and the
zeal OF it's ministers by seeking to have
sentences set at naught and mockery
made Of justice. Others openly coun-
tenance the violation and disregard of
law in minor matters, not stopping to
consider, apparently, that such exam
Piles are readily seized upon by the
vicious and criminally inclined as a
license to disregard all law.
We believe that Sheriff Applewhite,
City Marshal Applewhite and Consta-
BILE Magee are as conscientious and
earnest in the discharge of their Off
cial duty as any officers who will ever
be elected to their respective positions,
but they ought to have the moral and
active support, when needed, of every
man in the community who calls him
self good citizens; aye, more, to
understand that nothing short of a
faithful and conscientious discharge
of official duty will be tolerated by
the law-abiding citizens of the com
muuity. And likewise all our courts,
justice and circuit, should be made to
feel that they are being supported
and endorsed by all law-abiding citi-
zens in their efforts faithfully to ad-
minister justice and that they will be
condemned when they fail in their du-
ty, if they should. Also let the hands
of our excellent Governor be upheld in
his noble efforts to advance the moral
and material interests of the State.
Such policy, we are sure, would
soon immeasurably clarity the moral
atmosphere of the community and go
a long way toward redeeming the rep
utation of Lincoln county and Brook
haven from the odium which the law
less element has cast upon it..
AGAIN, SANITATEt