Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-08-01
LYNcHINc AND MURDER.

The statement by Associate Justice |
Brewer Of the United States Supreme
Court that. every man who partici-
pates in a fynching or the burning of
a negro Is q murderer, pure and sim !
ple'' is q strong one, but with certain
qualifications it is q statement that |
will receive the hearty endorsement |
of all friends Of law and decency.
There are cases where the community |
is SO wrought up by an atrocious crime
that men, who under normal condit- |
ions are quiet and law-abiding, demand.
speedy retribution and cannot be res
trained. This feeling is ina measure, j
natural, because there are certain
crimes which, when they are brought /
right home to men, seem to cry for
prompt and terrible action. When
mob takes perpetratOr of crime
and executes him expeditiously without
torture, there are not lacking good citi-
zens who condone the deed. But when
men robbed of the reasons by bruttish
passions, infiict upon a human being
no matter how vile wretch he may
be-tortures not less cruel than those
of the darker ages, twentieth century
civilization stands agast, and we who
are not so situated to share the hor-
ror of the deed which led to the in
fiction of the awful penalty, wonder
that men who have lived all their
days in an enlightened, Christian
country can descend to such depths Of
utter savagery.
II Justice Brewer means his state
ment to apply to the mobs that torture
victims, no true American will take
issue with him. II the people of any
community must lynch a man, let them
at least not mutilate him or burn him
nor drive lacks and knife blades into
his living quivering flesh. There can
be absolutely no defence for such fiend
ish cruelty. No crime known to man
iustifies such barbarous treatment of
human being. is.+ '..-......-. '.-'
Justice Brewer says there will come
a reaction against mob lynchings
which will result in legislation OF a
remedy of some other form. Legislat-
ion will not stop. it and the other form
Of remedy is as yet unknown. Civiliz-
alton has not operated to curb it
for here in America, under the finest
form of government yet evolved, after
nineteen centuries of Christianity, we
have mob after mob SURPRISING each
other in the extensive torture that
they inflict ON their victims. 1t is al
most a problem wholly in human nat
ure and the problem will be found a
difficult one to solve. There can be no
doubt but that the force of example
has much to do with it. Men are nat
urally initiative and anxious to surpass
each other. A crime is committed and
man cries Lets Lynch Him." The
cry is caught up and a mob results
The prisoner is secured. Get rope!'
cries one NO shouts another, anx
ious to excel, Let's burn him." Cut
OF his ears" suggests another and
the horrible butcher is accomplished
To change mems, actions one must
change mems natures and the mar
who will bring about that change viii
be greater than "he who taketh
city"
But the question is one to. maxi
the American people think. For week
the newspapers have carried account
of lynching with all the horrible tor
lures the ingenuity Of the lyncher
could suggest from all parts of tn
country! q It Is In the main one phas
of aks growing and gmsnactng rac
auest,es TfeEsssr ~AeFe white me
have been tortured are almost "
known Booker washington says
"Educats Isl negro" 10. make hi
contention good he must show that e
ucatioA will de toni the negro what
has not dche4of ftNg White man and tt
solution IL hot ,yxet ii sight. ?
We may reason, theorize. speculat
and.thesg grim question remains VIII
can 80 sdosabout it?s We can en-,
laws t.asa ls''s's esa r. INV nardsrers n
thateparticipate In lynchingDs hut Z
law eevet e1icted will restrain 4 I
thert hubbard n ,stothsr, aaans {
veaopnce on one who has despoiled b
homl
Z .saai5t-iis lo s,iqqu4..- t.s's;- 1-.----
/ vol .oaaa ,sanilloa II