The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-14

Editor Constitutions: The lynching
mania can no longer be considered a To-
cal. or sectional evil. 1t has spread to
every part of our country and shows it.
self the manifestation of spirit
good everywhere without regard to party.
pr place.
1t IL something worse than unfair for
the people Of the north to treat the sub
5ect as II 1t were a peculiar sin of the
south. and 1t is something worse than a
mistake FOR the people of the south to
defend 1t as If it were their especial
besetment about which they felt a self
convicting sensitivcness 1t is the duty
of all good people in every part of our
country to unite in putting down the
mob For let us be well assured that the
good people will put down the mob or the
mob will put down the good people.
When a lynching occurs. the law is
more truly lynched than is the victim of
the mob's fury. 1t is an outburst OF
anarchy. and not an Eruption of right
eous Indignation against an atrocious
crime.
In defense OF lynching. it is sometimes
said: stop the outra-es that provoke
But pray tell which outrage Is meant?
II reference 10 the horrible crime of rape
is intended. it is enough to say in re-
ply that it Is not the cause Of one-fourth
the lynchings which occur in the United
States. Two years since. for example.
the figures for a year showed only six
teen cases of ravishlng against 12S lynch
ings In the case at Evansville, Ind,
the original sin which gave rise to the
ynching was the shooting OF a police
man. But the mob sent a load of buck
shot into the breast of a young girl of
Il years of age. who in wise
involved. How can such reckless fury
ever cure crime. or arrest disorder? Is
there one home more secure one life
more safe by reason of such horrible
outburSts?
Who composed this Indiana mob? We're
lis leaders men who We're incont-ollably
jealous for morality and Justice? On
the contrary. the arrests made subse-
fuent to the lynching showed among the
leaders three professional gamblers three
men known to the police as desperate
characters. and one man who had been
guilty Of killing another some years ago
Is ii not clear that this lynching was
farnented and carried out by a lot of
blood thirsty scapeGraceS, who had not
the slightest interest in anything good?
They are lie sort who find pleasure In
the bloody brutalities OF the prize fight
And yet men of responsibility were found
foolish enough to apologize for the atroci-
tiesl
AND such the men, generally. who
organize moo violence. How delighted
they must be when decent people rush
INTO print to defend, Il not to euIogize
.. 81 Ir =
cent people put their pens 10 better use?
The mob which they eulogize today will
turn upon It's defenders tomorrow. The
taste for blood grows with indulgence.
Lynch Law Is Anarchy.
I7rnch law l repeat is anarchy. and
anarchy Is always the fcrerunner of de-
struction in republics This evil strikes
ct the very heart Of our civil institu-
tions. If unchecked it will increase. and
eventually become upendurable by the
vicious even Men will grow SO weary
C. Il that -aey VIII welcaule any sor1 of
strong hand which viii undertake TO put
1t down, even the hand of tyranny. They
will argue that the tyranny OF one strong.
wise man is preferable TO the many
headed tyranny Of brainless mob, as,
indeed. It is. Then the hour for the
man on horseback will have struck
and he will appear The anarchy OF
Suna and Marius produced Caesarism.
with all the dreadful consequences 1t
drew after il. The spirit Of mobocracy
in the Greciau republics made Philip of
Macedon possible 2pd opened the way for
Alexander. Robespierre and his rioters
gave Napoleon his chance They slew
the liberty which they protested to love.
Ard let 10 man suppose that such an
H.. hi IN nd
limo. The American people as quick
as any 10 adore = military hero, and they
can make one out of as small amount of
the ray material any nation that ever
kissed q sword Or bowed to a plume.
Witness the election Of Jackson and the
rough rider" TO the highest office. More
over, it should bc remembcred that we
turn out Of the military academy of the
nation annually more than a hundred
.oung men whose future turns en- the
use of the sword They are generally
men of WORLDLY honor and ambition Many
Of them come from influential families
and have the influence OF such connec-
.ions back Of them. Would 1t be a strange
thing Il in all their number there should
be found Gne capable of seizing power
ia the name Of order? Or, would it u.
matter of wonder il the people having
grown weary OF disorder. should gladly
welcome a strong educated man Of honor
who should appear ana promise them
peace and security? Stranger things
have happened
Depend upon 1t. no nation ever retains
liberty after 1t ceases to maintain law.
Lynch law protects no home. but does
rather pull down the strongest defense
of al the homes in the commonwealth.
Our homes are sheltered by law. and they
sre not shielded by lawlessness.
We have problems enough to solve in
this country. TO be sure. But VIC have
no problem which can not be solved by
the practice Of personal and civic right
eousness every ID. The man who viii
not Try that remedy has no right to
propose any other. IN the end all other
solutions VIII DO found worse than
vain
Concerning Problem Solvers.
with reference to the various pic
turesque proposals which are periodically