Evening journal., 1903-08-14

a cowardly mob, in doing a cowardly act
that he. as an individual and alone woul,
not dare undertake. Under cover of III,
multitude, II may be the night, the masl
or some other disguise, he has become I
fractional rurderer, without the courag,
to become a whole murderer. In othei
words a coward in his crime. Such a mar
dare not stand forth in court of justic,
and avow his participation in the Grim,
and let the law take its Just course ant
usually when arrested he puts in a plea OF
an abb.
Startling to Society.
Second-The effect of mob violence upor
society Is even more startling. 1t re-
solves society into original iawlessness
substitutes brute force for lawh and pas
sion and vengeance for justice. In tn,
words of Governor Durbin of Indiana III
breaks down the barriers which centurie.
Of civilization have erected between brut,
force and human rights" 1t gives societ,
over TO the most degraded and crmina
classes. It makes every mobite, when G
human life is taken a murderer, as Judg,
Brewer has well declared, and liable tC
be tried and convicted for that offense.
Such in general is the communal result
II inoculates the people with a deadly
poison. 1T is certain that the mob spiri
Is cont9g gious. The triumph over law ant
order of a mob or reckless and crimina
persons I'm one locality, Stimulates tn,
same class in every other locality. Their,
is always in every populous communit,
a considerable percentage of people Grim
inal by instinct, and though ordinaril,
| cowed by public sentiment, and the forces
Of the law into an outward respect fol
legal authority, are always on the watcl
for an opportunity to trample law undel
their feet. Little by little the mob spirit
which has long been active i'm some local
tiles has spread until almost ever,
issue Of the daily press has news Of som,
outbreak Of lawlessness, too often sue
cessful and unpublished. Every trium
phant mob emboldens criminals in every
community to riot, more readily and FOL
less reason than before"
MOS Violence Treason.
Mob violence is deadly treason agains
our government. which grants the larges
liberty to the Individual, and protection t,
life, liberty and property, than other gov
ernment In the history of mankind.
strikes a deadly blow at our cherishe,
IDEAL and governmental theory Of man
icapacity for self-government. The NOR
deadly because Il touches all the people
disarms the poor and the helpless an
turns them over to brute force or despot
ism. Steadily pursued, 1t meas the deaf
OF liberty. Mob law and anarchy delivere
Republican Greece to Philip of Macedoni
and to his son Alexander the Great. Sull
and Marius made Caesar possibility
Robespierre. preceded Napoleon the Firs
who became Emperor because France wa
drunk with blood shed by the mob an
satiated with the slaughter OF her bes
people. The French revolution is th
highest historic expression of mob Law
No wonder the people in the throes {
national agony chose one tyrant in pref
erence to the multitude.
On Check on Crime.
nhird-Many well-meaning people seei
to believe that the vengeance of the me
is a check upon crime, and that the effe'
is wholesome. Some crimes are so uI
speakably horrible, like the one con
mitted near Wilmington, Delaware, a fe
weeks since. that outraged human natui
in its thrill Of horror, is for momei
ready to approve of almost any reveng
p Stm the fendish vengeance executed I
the mob upon that brute was not Il
work Of good citizens.
I In the light OF experience, mob yiolenl
does not prevent the repetition OF Il
crime so avenged. Such savage punis
ment arouses the very spirit II is intend'
to repress. 'Tn the lurid light Of the bur
ing victim others OF his class see him
a martyr" The spirit of vengeance
aroused in them, with a wild, fierce, u
, reasoning madness they hasten to repe
, his crime in order to revenge him.
|, Dissraoes State.
/ The work OF the mob in such case n
only brands the State and the nation wi
. indelible disgrace, but tends to multip
crime. and If the question Of color
= race happens to be involved, 1t provok
e race hatred and race war.
] The claim, that because courts in al
:. case refuse to railroad the criminal
r the gallows, is an excuse for brutal lyme
ing IS not worthy OF consideration befo
Intelligent people. The murderers thel
selves, and latent demagogues who m
have melted them to murder. may Sc
II such excuse for their acts. but they ii
the ostrich fleeing for shelter. only bu
their heads In the sand and leave the DO
L, Of their sin exposed.
J., Any court of justice, that would list
TO the mob and suffer 1t to prescribe
Il methods. time and action should be alb
n ishcd as mockery of human justi
!. The very fact that the people are mad a
- frenzied and that the mob is at the d'
calls for a cooling time, that reason m
x resume her throne.
IL The effect therefore OF mob rule may
T. summarized as follows:
1. IL brutalizes the individual man.
?. Il destroys free government.
3. IL increases crime.
The amplihcation OF these three Ii
opens an almost boundless field
L. thought which may not be compassed
he the time allotted for this address.
The Remedy.
!, With this cursory statement Of the
- gin and effects OF mob rule we turn to
more important inquiry. namely, wha
the remedy? What IS the cure for mo
Most emphatically we say, the rem
Is not in hasty and feverish action
courts of justice against the Grim
lar whose offense is the exciting cause.
lab Law has its highest function in thr
ms ing its shield OF protection before the
ty- norant. the weak and the helpless,
top was specially designed as "A ban