Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-08-16
A VOICE FROM THE DARKNESS.

~
We have intimated that in his Wis
consin speech Senator Tillman only
spoke for the minority of intelligent
white men IN the South, and that even
that minority had subordinated its In
telligence to'its prcjudiccs and its pas
sions. There are many thousands of
solid men In that section to whom the
blatant and brutal philosophy of the
South Carolina senator is rs disgust
Ing rs 1t is TO anyone In the North, per-
haps more so, because they realize the
injury that such coarse and conscience
less sentiments may work TO their In
tercsts. They are not us notorious as
he, because they do not advertise
themselves as thoroughly. but they are
nevertheless heard ON occasions.
The progress OF the Alabama State
Constitutional Convention. now In ses,.
sion. Is being watched with much in
tercst, not only In that state. but all
over the country. II made u false
step when II adopted the grandfather
clause" but 1t did something TO atone
for IL when II Incorporated another
clause giving the governor power TO
remove sheriff who failed to do his
duty In dcfendin; u prisoner against
mob violence. This. OF course. points
directly TO the reduction OF lynch law
In the state, and the credit OF It's aiop-
ton belongs largely to Ex-Governor
Thomas q. Jones OF Montgomery.
who. prior TO the gathering OF the con-
vcniion. and during Its deliberations,
has given much earnest and vaiunbl.
counsel To the people OF his state. Per-
haps. should this amendment be con-
hrmcd, there are some governors who
would not Use the power thus given
them. but there are others who would.
one OF whom. we believe. Is Governor
Jones.
In an elaborate argument In favor
OF the amendment. Governor Jones
made the startling but doubtless tru.
statement that ''in the last ten years
oyer one hundred citizens OF Alabama
have been taken by mobs from sh-r-
irs aud jaiis aud murdered" Thi.
record does no; include those who were
lynchcd before the officers OF the law
had them In custody. which would
swell the bloody lie; considerably. Yet
more than two.,hiri. OF those thu.
murdered were no, even suspected OF
th. crime which il always in.iane-,i as
Justification of such cs,rvm. meas
urc.. THESE mob executions" said
he. arc brniailzins our chIiirn.
bunting our religion and undermining
our civilization. Can anyone in the
sound OF my voice rise up aud say
iha, this il not so: We are under.
mining all noble ideals OF duty and
maahooi.-
Ills state ani his country owe Gov.
crnoE Jones gratitude and honor for
the patriotic stand he has taken. lie
has labarc.i as earnestly. a. Intelligent
~ and as unsrlfishiy ia championinT
the rights OF the helpless citizens OF
defending tho rights Of the colonies.
lie may not win success. bu; he will
do the better thing. which is to dc.
serve IL. Such check upon mob ,lo.
icnc- would place Alstama in this ln.
roE;as; respect In advance of all 9th.
cr southern states. I, would give con.
iidcpcc and encouragement to capital.
Il would bc an earnest Of better civ.
iliEation. 1t would safeguard the laws
sanc;ity and help TO SO; up higher
standards OF Justice. It would be a
practical an;idore 60 such social poison
as Tiiiman and Bonapartc have been
disseminatipz.-i,os; Transcript.