The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-09

The arrival in Evansville of several COM
panies Of troops from outside, with detail
Of artillery and competent officers. including
modifying effect the situation. There
was great change from Tuesday morning.
when the mob thought It had the local au-
thorities terrorized and could do about as
1t pleased, and Wednesday morning, when
it woke to discover that the State had taken
hand and was present in force abundant
ly sufficient to enforce law and restore or
der. The shooting done by the Evansville
militia on Monday night had cowed the mob
temporarily, but the lawless element was
still active, and but for the presence Of out
side troops In sufficient numbers to intimi-
date them they would probably have rallied
and shown further fight. The additional
troops were not ordered out any too soon,
and their arrival at the scene of trouble
was timely. 1t shows what has been proved
a thousand times before, that mobs should
never be temporiZed with, and that the true
policy is to nip them in the bud. The very
moment that lawlessness lifts it's head it
should be met by a ounter-demonstration
Of law and display Of force fully equal to
the emergency few hours Of delay or
temporizing with a mob may make all the
difference between a peaceabe ending OF a
threatened demonstration and a riotous out
| break. All the information at hand goes to
| show that neither the sheriff of Vanderburg
county nor the mayor of Evansville did his
| duty in the recent outbreak. They either
failed to appreciate their duty or they failed
| to perform it. They were not equal to the
occasion. They failed to perceive the signs
| of impending trouble else they failed to
prepare for it. Several things could have
OF Monday night that brought on the justi-
fable shooting by the militia, but none of
| them was done. A few broken heads or
blackened eyes. done in good time by officers
ordered TO dispense the mob, would have
prevented disgraceful riot and the killing
of eight or nine persons. The moral respon-
sibility for the affair rests on those who
have complacently closed their eyes and
ears to the growth Of lawlessness for years
past, and on officials who, charged with the
duty of enforcing law, failed to use the
| means at their disposal and permitted them
selves to be bullied by the lawiess element
until 1t got completely beyond their control.
Happily the State stepped in in time to
show the mob that there is power behind
the law they had not reckoned upon. The
local officers could and should have averted
the necessity of interference by the State.
and thus have saved the city and State the
disgrace that followed their inefficiency.
The lesson Of it all is that public officials
| charged with the enforcement of law should
| be held to a higher standard of duty and
| official responsibility. Something more is
| needed in public officials than good fellow
J ship. comradeship and yote-getting quail
| tiles. Sheriffs and mayors are not elected
to make political friends OF to handy words
| with those who foment race hatred and out
| breaks They are elected to enforce law and
order under any and all circumstances to
| the full extent Of the powers with which
they are vested. II tbis involves the break
| ing of a few heads in the incipiency of q
! riot this is much better than killing a lot
of people later on. II the local authorities
Of Evansville had done their duty in the
sity of calling on the state authorities.