New-York tribune., 1901-09-08
LET NO ONE HURT HIM"

A mistake must have been made by the CORE
spondent who reported from LOckpOrt that Gov
ernor Odell, when informed Of the attack upon
the President and the arrest of his assallant
remarked: They ought 10 have lynched him.
1t IS impossible 10 believe that the executive or
the Empire State would under any circum-
stances have advocated lvnchng or given aid
and comfort in any form TO the lawless ele-
menis, 10 one wing of which the President has
fallen a victim. Despicable as was the crime
committed by CZolgOsz anxious as are the
American people that he should be severely
punished. and keenly as they will feel that, IN
case their prayers for the Presidents recovery
are answered. he cannot be adequately pun
isbed under existing laws, still all serious and
thoughtful mon must agree that this crime of
all others should be punished only by law.
Otherwise an awful incentive is given 10 the
demoralizing practice which endangers the order
and civilization of the whole country.
Undoubtedly the temptation is great TO take
summary vengeance on the perpetrator or so
dastardly n crime but il Is greatly to the credit
of The whole country that the cry Lynch him"
which went Up from hundreds of thrOats In the
exposition grounds resulted in nothing which
could bring shame to the American people. The
remark of the President himself Immediately
after the first expression OF concern for his wife
was Let no one hurt him" There spoke not
only the man Of large and forgvlng nature but
the lawful head Of the State counselng respect
for law and order. and without doubt feeling his
responsibility 10 secure even for one who sought
his life perhaps successfully, the protection and
deliberate judgment characteristic OF Anglo
Saxon institutions. That was a noble concern.
The American people have reason TO be proud
OF having President who could feel it at such
,o,,1N N-srn lnnTa
into their hearts. 1t ought TO make the most
outraged man think twice hereafter before rails
ing that cry Lynch him. which is heard with
increasing and alarming frequency in this coun-
try. An accident can hardly happen in our
streets without an excited crowd shouting
Lynch him. and rushing at the person guessed
10 be TO blame. There has been so much of this
sort OF thing going on that the idea OF lynch
ing has become commonplace. and angry men
threaten lynching about as thoughtlessly as
they might indulge in prOfane language.
How little worthy OF the nation does the
President make such things appear, and how
little excuse can any angry people make for
violence henceforth! If he who attacked the
precious life of the President, on which the
hopes and the welfare of the whole country
hang can be left in the hands OF the law, and
the American name stand higher for IL, there
can be no other crime warranting resort to vio-
lence. The crimes for which lynching is pleaded
as justifable are generally punished legally by
death or life Imprisonment, but the assailant Of
the President, il he fails 10 kill. may get off
with short term of imprisonment. The wish
will be general that the penalty We're more
severe and measures may be taken TO make 1t
so for the future; but II is a fortunate thing
that law has triumphed over the instincts Of
the crowd in this case. 1t may mark the turn
ing point in the evil tide of mob rule as well
as in the federation Of anarchy. Mob rule is
a form OF anarchy. The same lawless spirit
which justihes killing and burning of hated
individuals works in the mind Of him who
hates existing social systems 10 justify murder
ing heads OF state.
May the cry Lynch him." which arose about
the Music Temple be, elsewhere as there, so
frowned down by those. North and South, who
sympathize with the President and respect his
noble example that its hateful and degeneratng
sound may cease TO be heard in the land.