Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-08-10
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DISC ~ "a blNCs
President Roosevelt has done well In
coming out at this time, strongly con-
demnlng the lawlessness that has taken
the FORM of lynchlng IN so many places
In our country He is absolutely right
IN saying that mob violence is one form
of anarchy. and that anarchy is II fore
runner Of tyranny
That is the very point about which
the apologlsts for mob murder are not
clear. They do not comprehend the
very nature OF the matter. They talk
about the sympathy due the victims Of
savage beasts. the hiteOusness Of the
crimes committed the delay Of the law,
and the just Indignation OF the mobs,
But all these have nothing whatever to
do with the question whether ynchings
are Justified Nobody disputes the fact
that certain crimes deserve swift and
severe punishment That question Is
not lnvolved.a and those who raise 1t, gem
orally do 80 In order to obscure the real
question. which is this, that lynchings,
instead 'of remedylng the evil, add in
iQuity 10 It. and Jeopardize our instltu~
tons, LynchIngs are anarchy and an
archy leads TO tyranny That is the
great lesson Of history What right,
then, have mobs to jeopardize the insti-
tutions of the country when there are
legal means Of reaching every malefac-
tor? That, and that alone, Is the ques-
ton with which the country is con-
cerned.
In discussing the matter, the Presi-
dent utters some important truths.
which have been stated repeatedly. lie
calls attention 10 the fact that one who
has taken part in such crime can new
er be himself again, lie says:
"There are certain hideous sights
which, when once seen, can never De
wholly erased from the mental retina.
The mere fact of having seen them
implies degradation This is thous-
and-fol1 stronger when, instead Of
merely seeing the deed, the man has
participated IN Il. Whoever IN any
part Of our country has ever taken part
In lawlessly putting 10 death criminal
by the dreadful torture Of lire must for
ever after have the awful spectacle %
his hanliwork scared into his brain and
soul. He can never again be the same
nun"
The President also calls attention to
the fact that lawlessness pegets law
lessness;
This matter OF lynchng would be a
terrible Thing even II It stopped with the
lynehlng OF men guilty Of the inhuman
and hideous crime of rape but as
matter Of fact the lawlessness OF this
type never does stop aud never can
stop IN such fashion Every violent
man IN the community is encouraged b.
every ease OF lynchi1g. In which the
lynchers go unpublished. TO take the
law into MS own hands whenever 1t
suits his own convenience. In the same
way, the use of torture by the mob IN
certain cases is sure TO spread until
II Is applied more or less indlscrinlin-
ately In other eases. The spirit of law
lessness grows with what II feeds on,
ana when mohs with mpunity lynch
criminals for one cause they are GER
tain to Legln TO lynch real or alleged
criminals FOR other causes
The truth Of this is illustrated in the
daily criminal record. No other testl-
mony Is needed. 1t is well that the
President has spoken 80 clearly and
emphlacally upon the subject. Cover
nors and state officers should feel en-
courased thereby to 10 their full duty,
and punish The transgressors Of law.
For more than words Is needed. to
put down this evil, that threatens 10
become n national mortal disease.
Words viii not stop IT, Concerted action
between state and federal officers. sup
ported by the best element OF the ma
ton Is called for ia this crisis Very
truiy a writer in Leslie's Weekly says.
1T Is certain that these outbreaks of
mob passion can never be cured BY the
rosewItcr method, by soft words aud
appeals 10 reason, No real mob was
ever turned from rs purpose in that
way, fol men infamod with rage to the
pitch IF riot and murder are beyond
the reach Of rrason Tho only thing
tnat VIII stay them then is an exercise
Of superior force This was shown very
clturly recently ~ the successful way
In which the authorities AZ Richmond
va, suppressed a riotous demonstration
NJ a street car strike, and II was shown
also at Evansville. Ind, though the
sacrifice OF human life at that place.
viewed ln any light. was most deplor-
ahie. " the authorities 81 the state
and ol Che city had been prompt In
opposing force with force. the slaughter
hllgnt have been averted. The mob in
VAed slaughter, ANA, as % rule. such
fmtoN gatherings are dispersed only
alier lhs mob has been made % suffer
lhF Wning OF score or q hundred
wcn % save The NE OF one wretched
criminal until the courts can deal vita
MN may seem 10 he an unWarranted
waste NJ human blood. but it Is certain
th"t only by such sacrifices. awful and
Neli2ldhie ss hey Will be-. can com
mnti'ies afflicted with the lynchlng
mania tc brought 10 realizing sens OF
The shame and DEGRADATION Involved In
these savage and parbarous outbreaks
The lesson VIII De q dear one While
II lasts, but TIE loss of 10000 lives. II
nccl be viii be not too dear price
a. 'ay fcr freeing this country fof all
tat,iis' Anne frSm thu dark nnd hide
Gus stain Of The lynching madness"
This awful truth must ~ admitted