The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-10
President Roosevelt COmmends Governor
Durbin for His Action Regarding Recent
Mob Violence in Indiana.

denunciation Of the crime or I'm bring an
the criminal 10 Justice Is itself unpar-
uonable
Moreover, every effort should be made
under the law TO expedite the procee l.
ings Of justice In the case OF such IN
awful crime But IL cannot be necessary
TN order 10 accomplish this 10 deprive
any citizen OF those fundamental rights
TO be heard I'm his own defence which are
so dear to us all, and which lie at the
root of our liberty.
IL certainly ought to be possible by the
proper administration OF the laws To Sc
cure swift vengeance upon the criminal:
and the best and immediate effects of all
legislators, judges and citizens should he
addressed 10 securing such reforms I'm
our legal procedure as TO leave no vestige
of excuse for those misguided men who
undertake to reap vengeance through vic.
lent methods.
Men who have been guilty Of crime
like rape or murder should be visited
with swift and C. stain punishment and
the just effort made by the courts TO
der no circumstances be perverted into
permitting any more technicallty TO
avert or delay their punishment
LAW MUST WORK SWIFTLY.
The substantial rights OF the prisoner
60 fair trial must of course, be guar
AnAf'us dN Npu UtNt SO justly lnElSltu
that they should be but. subject 20 this
guarantee the law must work swiftly
and surely and all the agents OF the law
should realize the wrong they do when
they permit justice to he delayed or
thwarted for technical or insufficient
reasons,
We must show that the law is ade-
quatc to deal with crime by freeing II
from every vestige OF technical,y and
delay.
But the fullest recognition OF the hor-
ror OF the crime and the most complete
lack OF sympathy with the criminal can
not In the least diminish our horror at
the way in which 10 has become Gus
tomary Co avenge these crimes and al
the consequences that are already pro-
ceeding theretrom.
lt is of course inevitable that where
vengeance is taken by mob IL should
frequently light on innocent people. and
the wrong done IN such n case 60 the in
diNidual Is one for which there Is no rem
edy. But even where the real criminal
is reached the wrong done by the mob
20 the community itself is well-nigh as
great.
Especially is this true where the lynch
ing Is accompanied with torture There
are certain hideous sights which when
once seen can never be wholly erased
from the mental retina The mere fact
OF having seen them implies degradation.
This Is a thousandfod stronger when.
instead Of merely seeing the deed. the
man has participated In II.
Whoever In any part OF our country
has ever taken part I'm lawlessly putting
10 death criminal by the dreadful tor
ture Of nre must forever after have the
awful spectacle OF his own handiwork
scared into his brain and soul. He can
never again be tho same man.
LAwLEssNEss SPREADS
This matter of lynching would be a
terrible thing. even n II stopped with
the lynching Of men guilty OF the in
human and hideous crime of rape. but
as a matter OF fact. lawlessness of this
type never docs stop and never can stop
81 such fashion.
Every violent man In the community