The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-09

fuse than in the pardons and commuta-
tons granted. | have not been unmindful
of the criticism of my action in regard
to this matter but have been unable to
find it consistent with my duty to let
| criticism interfere with the highest pow
er vested in me by the Constitution and
the State. The power to act involves
duty and that duty by the suffrage of
the people has been reposed in me. !
should be unworthy of their respect and
too cowardly to be the Governor OF so
good and just people if in fear OF their
criticism l should let one man undergo
further punishment when my reason and
| conscience tell me he has been sufficient
ly punished. Punishment is for the re-
form of the prisoner and for example to
others disposed to offend against the law.
| When these two purposes have been full
filled suffering on the part of the prison
er becomes an injustice and so long as
remain Governor OF this State suffering
shall have a hearing-and those who
have been chastened sufficiently shall go
free.
SALE AND MANUFACTURE OF LIQUOR
For many years the Legislature of this
State have step by step narrowed the
|
manufactured until at the present time
this business cannot be carried on in
half of the counties of the State, while
more than two thirds of the counties have
either by county or legislative action
restricted the sale to incorporated towns.
No good reason is apparent why the Leg
islature should not in all the counties
apply the restriction which today exists
fIDo, VII
should be done for the reason that in the
country there is no police supervision of
the conduct of the business. Those who
live in the country have no protection
from the evil results growing out of the
manufacture and sale of liquor In many
places the lawlessness due to this BUSH
ness has driven good people who prefer
red to live on their farms into the towns
for safety. 1 recommend, therefore, that
a general law be passed prohibiting the
manufacture and sale of liquor through
out the State save in incorporated towns.
The manufacture of liquor even in incor-
poratcd towns should be subject to the
same restrictions that now apply to the
sale. If your honorable body should pass
this law believe that you would see good
Z results from it in the near future and
your action would meet with the ap-
prevail of the best citizens Of the State.
In passing a statute on this subject care
2 should be taken to avoid restoring the
manufacture and sale Of liquor where it
is now prohibited by law Stringent pro-
visions should be made to prevent the
operation of blockade stills The State
should no longer depend upon the FEEDER
al Government to suppress this evil bust
ness.
LYNCHINGs.
During the past two years there have
= been eight lynchings in the State three
for murder, one for attempting to poison;
three for rape; and one for assault with
intent to rape. The crimes for which
punishment has thus been summarily
= dealt out are in themselves shocking and
calculated to arouse the just indignation,
not to say the passions, Of the people.
But 1 am persuaded that lynchings are
out of place in any civilized country hav-
ing a we'll ordered government. In new
ly settled districts, sparsely populated
largely filled with lawless men, commit
tees of vigilance sometimes become a
necessity for the preservation of the safe
ty of the citizens, but in a State with an
established government. having courts in
full operation, there is no justification
for reserting to lynch lawlessness, for
this is the correct characterization OF
every lynching The resort to this prac-
tice is neither justified by reason; nor
do the results attained by it show its
efficacy. The crimes for which this sum
mary punishment is meted out do not de-
crease. The safety of every citizen is
| better guaranteed by the orderly execu
ton of the laws of the land. When good
men. aroused by the sense Of wrong which
comes from the commission of certain
, detestable crimes and yielding TO the
passion Of the moment, execute ven-
geance for themselves without resort to
the law they become law breakers and
their example is evil to the community
and the State All that the ignorant and
vicious element who commit these crimes
know of law is by their observation Of
the conduct of better men. When this
, observation shows them that good men
bow to the law under all circumstances,
however great the temptation they learn
respect for the law On the other hand
when they observe the best people COM
hitting crime which the law denounces
as murder they lose regard for the law
and their iawlessness takes a different
form. When it is once admitted that
lynching is justiiable in any case it is
J an easy step for the excited mass to just
ify it in other cases. The only safety
is to recognize at once that all men are
bound under all circumstances to appeal
to the law for redress of grievances and
not to the strong hand of the mob. II
this be not true, then we should remove
from our statute books the laws against
lynchings and put upon them a declara-
ton that lynching for certain specified
crimes is justifiable homicide and not
murder. No people organized into a
. State has ever yet ventured to do this
and no people ever will. This fact alone
shows that in our moments of calm judg-
ment we recognize the wrong OF lynching.
There ought not to be and rarely is
any danger that the criminals commit
ting the crimes for which lynching is
resoTted to will escape just punishment
| at the hands of the law. The only re-
quirement is that there shall be a reason
able certainty of the guilt of the party,
and even a mob engaged in lynching al
ways assures itself of this fact before
executing the prisoner in their hands.
| Without this certainty ayacutioo aitbar