The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-25


case. Tt is a crime against God when the
suicide is not bereft of his reason and one
of the insane. The distinguished statisti
clan in insurance, Frederick l.. Hoffman,
has so written. His statistics reveal that
$500 persons committed suicide in 80
American cities aggregating population
of 14.50O, 900. The larger cities are not in
Guided III the list. Between 1890 and 1900
the percentage of suicides increased from
l2 to IL in every 100000. He states that
New York before the war did not average
10 per cent. in 100000. Now it is q, or
more than double. The percentage grows
with age. More commit suicide over 80
years and upward than among younger
risks. An English expert states that over
per cent of suicides occurred IN the
first year of insurance, and more than 3
per cent. in the second year. 1t looks as
if it were dangerous for many people to
insure their lives. They are so benevolent
they wish to die to bring to others more
ready cash.
The cry is in both of the great sections
for better, surer criminal laws The
COuItS I'LL Vi uuty tue ldWS dlc Ultl'
There is conceded failure of law in both
sections. Crime is not punished. The
jury system is a practical failure and
fraud and no wonder, for compelling
twelve men to agree is absurd on its face
The law is poor, injudicious, lenient, ia
vors the criminal and failing to punish
crime the result is that the criminals and
villains in almost every case are given,
their freedom and sent out to prey upon
society and to continue their oevlish
deeds unawed and unterrified, feeling safe.
Some one who is very serious and deeply
impressed not long ago in public
address in discussing the failure of law
in this country, said that yet it looked as
if it was regarded with pride He said:
Is the arrogance and Indifference of
wealth to human need a subject of pride?
When We look fairly at the under side
of things, with a good, honest purpose tc
know the truth. does not all our pride
melt away, and does it not seem~that. in
stead of boasting of our exalted civiliza-
tion, we should confess with humiliation
that we are just emerging from barbarism?
/ am no pessimist. This is not a pessinis-
tic assembly. but it does appear as the
duty of the moment that we should
squarely look at our worst conditions.
Only thus can we comprehend the person
al call to service"
My impression is that this was from e
Northern speaker. II is worth consider
ing. 1t is a. shame and reproaeh TO be
badly governed, to have lax and insuf-
ficient laws and failure in the admins
tration of justice. Crime UNPUBLISHED is
an unmitigated calamity and curse Life
is very cheap. The pistol carrier doni-
mates, men are slain and Their slayers
made heroes Of Justice limps. is ban
de ged, is blind indeed. Crime is regnant.
Corruption is everywhere-on the bench,
at the bar, in the legislatures, in the pres
dential chair. The people are asleep prac-
ftically. OF 2S6 homicides in our staid, well
governed sterling North Carolina only
four or five men hanged by the courts,
have seen stated That is a blisterirg
sllame-a positive disgrace, How long
shall partially and injustice dominate and
criminals walk the country fearless, uri-
dismayed?
Who says North Carolina is not great
State in many particulars? I have given
facts about it before, and many times II
have told how if you take string and
place one end in Currituck county on its
northern border, and taking it across the
State to the extremity of Cherokee coun-
ty and then holding your finger on the
Currituck end take it directly north, AMI
it will put you IN Lake Champlain in
New York State-across Virginia Mary
land, Delaware far into New York, The
extreme length of North Carolina is 5O31a
miles, with a breadth of 1879 miles, be-
ginning at the Atlantic and to the Smoky
Mountains. 1t is not far short of that to
begin at Southport and go directly NORTH
by Fayetteville, Raleigh and Oxford to
the Virginia line. My impression is it
will be $50 miles, and perhaps as much as
It's. / noticed in a report in the Charlotte
Observer some time ago that at The St
Louis Fair a hunters lodge is to be built
of North Carolina timbers and furnish
ings 1t was stated that 1.-The floors will
be covered with rugs made from the skins
of animals slain in the chase in North
Carolina forests and mountains The walls
will be decorated with mounted speci-
mems of all the wild animals and birds
that are to be found in this State The
streams of the mountains, forest and
ocean all contribute fish from their wa
tiers to enrich the exhibit. They are beau
tifully mounted and used for decorative |
purposes and appear as natural as when
they were in their native element. In a
great hollow tree in front of the lodge the |
visitor may take a peep and see the den
of an opossum with the dam surrounded
by her young
There are 80 rivers in North Carolina,
and of all the States it is probably the
best watered for it has several large
sounds, many small ones. and offers great
opportunities for fishing and developing
Il great oyster industry. Little Connectl-
cut has created an oyster industry reach
ing some two and half or three million
dollars by obtaining the oyster seed in
the Chesapeake Bay, and planting them
on Ter southern border in Long Island
Sound.
Lot me give briefly an historic fact and
rlcst creditable. 1t is the fight of the
North Carolinians under Col Tazwell j..
Hargroye at South Anna Bridge, north of
J,scbmonG va I once had some da tn