Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-08-10
President Roosevelt Praises
Indiana Governor For His
Course During Riot
EXPRESSES HIS OWN VIEWS
Says Negroes Must be Active in Con-
demning Crime Committed by People
of Their Race-Growth of Lynchins
in This Country Cause for Great
Alarm.

Oyster Bay, Aug. 10.-In a letter. the
publication of which has just been au-
thorized. President Roosevelt COM
mends Governor Durbin, of Indiana, for
the attitude assumed recently respect
ing lynching. The president also en-
braces the opportunity to express his
own views in reference to lynching and
mob violence generally. President
Roosevelts letter to Governor Durbin
follows:
oyster Bay, N. Y. Aug. s. 1909
My Dear Governor Durbin: Permit me
TO thank you as an American citizen
for the admirable way in which you
have indicated the majesty of the
law by your recent action in reference
to lynching. l feel, my dear sir, that
you have made all men your debtors
who believe, as all far-seeing men must.
that the well being. indeed the very eX-
istence. of the republic depends upon
the spirit of orderly liberty under
the law which is as incompatible with
mob violence, as with any form of des-
potism, OF course mob violence is sim
ply one form of anarchy; and anarchy
is now as 1t has always been, the hand
maiden and forerunner of tyranny.
Il feel that you have not only reflect
ed honor upon the state, which for its
good fortune has you for its chief exec
utive. but upon the whole nation. 1t is
incumbent upon every man turnout this
country, not only to hold up your hands
in the course you have been following,
| 1T, hot IN
matter is one of vital concern to us
all.
I'VE must feel the grave alarm over
the growth of lynching in this country,
and especially over the peculiar forms
taken so often by mob violence, when
colored men are the victims-on which
occasions the mob seems to lay more
weight, not on the crime, but on the
color of the criminal. In certain pro-
fporton of these cases the man lynched
has been guilty of crime horrible be-
yond description, q crime so horrible,
that as far as he himself Is concerned,
he has forfeited the right to any KIND
of sympathy whatever. The feeling OF
all good citizens that such hideous
crime shall not be hideously punished
by mob violence is due not In the least
to sympathy for the criminal, but to
very lively sense to the train OF dread
full consequences which follow the
course taken by the mob in eXactlng IN
human vengeance for an inhuman
wrong In such cases. moreover 1t Is
well TO remember that the criminal not
merely sins against humanity IN m
expiable and objectionable fashion, but
sins particularly against his own race,
and does them wrong far greater than
any whit man can possibly do them.
What Colored People Should Do.
"Therefore, in such cases the colored
people turnout the land should in every
possible way show their belief that they
more than all others in the community
are Mortified in taking every possible
measure to prevent it's reoccurance,
and to bring the criminal to immediate
Justice. The slightest lack OF Vlgor IN
denunciation of the crime or bringing
the criminal to justice, is In ITSELF I'M
pardonable. 81, =,
"Moreoyer. every effort should be
made under the law 10 eXpeolte IN.
proceedings of justice in the case Oh
such an awful crime. But 1t can not
he necessary in order to accomplish
this to deprive any citizen OF those
a. H..
fundamental rights to be heard IN MS
own defense which are so dear 10 US
all. and which lie at the root OF our
liberty. It certainly ought to be posi-
BILE by the proper administration OF the
laws to secure swift vengeance upon
the criminal. and the best and immedl-
ate efforts Of all legislators, judges anu
citizens should be addressed to secur-
ing such reforms in our legal PROCEDURE
as to leave vestige of excure for those
misguided men who undertake TO reap
vengeance thru violent methods.
Certain Punishment.
"Men who have been guilty OF crime
like rape or murder should be visited
with swift and certain punishment ana
the lust effort made by the courts TO
protect them in their rights should un
der no circumstances be perverted INTO
permitting any mere technlcaEty TO
avert or delay their punishment. ihe
substantial rights of the prisoner 10
fair trial must of course be guaran ll,
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