New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-16
THE VICIOUS CIRCLE.

To the defenders of lynching who have said
that while it was indeed evil, it was the
only way to prevent the spread of rape, we
have often pointed out that it did not prevent
it. We are particularly interested therefore, to
find Southern Democratic paper, THE Char
lotte On. c. Observer" taking the same view
and showing that the lynchers, instead of pro-
tecting womanhood by their Iawlessness. as
they declare, are merely raising up an added
menace TO wOmanhood. 1t says:
Experience has shown that it is idle to talk
of abating lynching while the crime continues
and the worst feature of the matter is that
lynching seems to increase the number of
crimes.
So we see that events move in a vicious circle
Lynchings beget rape, and rape in turn leads
to lynchings. and the lynching fever spreads
and begets all sorts of violence, until govern
ment itself is endangered. With these facts
staring them in the face, why, then should
Southern men simply SIT helpless before the
| evil and contemplate lynching as if it were
some sort of old Greek fate? Has experience
| shown-even though it be idle to talk of abat-
| ing lynching while the crime continues"-that
it is idle to abate it if the leading white men of
the South really want to abate it, and take
serious measures other than talk to that end in
stead OF apOlOgzing for it as a necessary means
for the protection of women, which it is con-
fesSed not to be? Why not replace the vicious
circle by a circle better calculated to secure the
safety of women the circle of law enforcement
and teaching in morality and self-control? If
iynching increases the crime, stop Iynching on
the pretence that it decreases the crime 1t can
| not be done by sending John Temple Graveses
about to proclaim lynching as the buIwark of
family life and encouraging the Southern mob
TO indulge in it and so Increase the number of
avis, Rat no if
who know lynching is evil and Ineffective for
the protection of women rally to put down the
lawless members of their own race and sup
port the enforcement of the law against both
the negro criminal and the white Iyncher
There is some sense in the complaint that
the respectable negroes are not sufficiently
active in putting down this crime. Their lead
ers denounce it, If is true. but in view of exist
ing conditions. every respectable and inteIIi-
gent col0red man should be aroused to preach in
season and out of season morality and respect
for women, and TO cooperate to punish those
Of his race who commit crime. But, as the white
race is the further advanced and has the great
er responsibility for civilization. it ought 10
lead in replacing the vicious circle of rape and
lynching with the golden circle of law and
morality. Unless it takes the first step and
guarantees legal trials with protection to the
innocent no matter how swift and stern the
punishment of the guilty, il can hardly expect
the more ignorant negro to do his share in kolv-
ing the problem. When the benighted blacks
are not certain what awful fate may await one
of their race, innocent or guilty, when accused
of crime it is no wonder they are slow to take
a hand in hunting him down. When they have
set before them examples OF fendish passion by
white mobs. il is no wonder that the feelings
of the more vicious members of their race are
stirred and that their impulse TO wreak their
passions on the white race is shown in char
acteristic and horrible form.
The vicious circle VIII never be broken until
the dominant race does its part. How can it ex-
pect negro crime TO If it, with its superior
wisdom, goes on in course which makes more
negro crime, as The Charlotte Observer" saws
lyGchng does? Doubtless the negro needs teach
ing TO avoid crime and, If the whites would do
their share and stop lynching on any pretext,
certainly the negro leaders would be glad 10
cooperate in a crusade against the negro raw
isher II is said that the negro is peculiarly adj
dicted to this crime. but that is largely due TO
his general low state of civilization. The crime
was not uncommon among Europeans in the
Middle Ages The way TO eradicate it is by pro-