The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-20
SmasneS the Brilliant Bubble
of False Prosperity.
AND LUNGES AT MOB LAW
Also He Wipes Up the Earth With the Ego
Maniacs Whose Sole Aim in Life is
10 Pose Before the
Public.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press)
Olcott Beach, N. Y, Aug. l9.-Hon.
David Bennett Hill spoke here tonight to
a large audience who from first to last
listened to the distinguished speaker with
deepest interest.
Mr.. Hill, in opening discussed 'mob
law versus due process of law
He said:
"Mob violence is not rendered less OBJ
jectionable even if it be true, as frequent
ly asserted, that unless it shall interpose
its strong arm, the guilty may escape
punishment through lax administration
OF the criminal law or indifference to its
enforcement on the part of the people
themselves The very excuse offered is
a reflection on the community itself where
the crime has been committed and the rem
edy lies, not in the people themselves over
riding the law, but in the people uphold
ing and enforcing the law and in appeal
to their patriotism, their good sense their
innate love of justice and respect for or
der-qualties which are seldom, if ever,
| invoked in vain. We cannot permit this
government to become a mobocracy which
acts upon impulse, feels no restraint and
recognizes no appeal from its hasty pre-
| judgment,
Grimes which can only be punished by
such irresponsible tribunals as mobs might
as well not be punished at all, because in
the end the remedy will be found to be
worse than the disease.
'The duty of every American citizen
who loves his country and its free inSti,
tutions is plain. He should aNist in the
creation of a healthy public sentiment
which should demand that no person
charged with crime shall be punished
| therefor except under due process of law
/ and by lawful means and after a trial
| before a court and jury as provided by
| the wise and benificent provisions of our
| Federal Constitution, and these vital pro-
visions, so essential to the public welfare
must be respected in every part of our
domain, and wherever our American flag
shall permanently float; and every man,
I whether white or black, native OF free
| born, rich or poor, educated or unlettered
must be protected in his life and liberty
| Taking up another subject, Mr. Hill
said:
1.-The tendency of the times is towards
indulgence in that peculiar species of SEN
| satonal performance, which may be char
acterized in general terms as spectacular,
ism, if | may be permitted to coin tnat
word.
Spectacularists usually affect superior
ity over other people; in the matter of
patriotism they desire to be regarded as
the only true patriots; they assume to
possess all the virtues, while other peo-
pie in their estimation possess all the
vices. They abhor silence and obscurity.
They assert the commonest kind of self
evident propositions, which have become
moss covered from age, with an emphasis
as though they were oracles and as though
their platitudes were wholly original
''They have their press agents, who,
unsolicited, supply the newspapers gratuit-
ously with the details of what they do
each morning, noon and night, as though
the world was holding it's breath for
fear that something would escape it per-
tanning to themselves. If they happen to
hold a public office they are delighted to
see their smallest public acts paraded,
magnlfied and applauded. They are sure
that there was never before such pub
| lie officials as themselves-so earnest. so
honest, so self-sacrificing. They meddle
with everything, whether within or with
out their official jurisdiction, and usually
muddle everything with which they have
anything to do.
Spectacularism as here interpreted. is
sort of disease-it expands the head
and contracts the conscience and may
appropriately be called ego-mania which
is another name for egosm
The hope of the country lies in the
great mass of cool, deliberate and con-
servative citizens, who pursue their avoca-
tions and perform their duties unostenta-
tlously, and entertain sincere convictions
OF their life's work They neither de-
| light IN war, In contention, nor in un-
necessary strife. They carry no chip upon
their shoulders always looking for trou-
bic. Their ways are ways of pleasant
ness and all their paths are peace and they
believe that righteousness, more than the
triumphs of war, exalteth a nation"
Mr.. Hill discussed ''fictitions versus real
prosperity" as follows:
There is a chorus of assertion, con-
stantly reiterated, that the country at
| the present time is enjoying a period of
much prosperity. Yet there are grave
reasons for doubling the entire correct
ness OF the statement. 1t is conceded
that many public works are in progress
of construction and many important en-
| terprises are IN process of development,
but the fact must be borne in mind that
most of these schemes are being floated
upon borrowed capltal-that the future
is being largely mortgaged-and that
profits to hereafter accrue and dividends
to be hereafter declared are already be-
Continued on Second Page.)