The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-08-12
MUST illd hd
SUSTAIN
THE LAW
The President Writes
Letter Deprecating
Mob Law
Thinks II Tends to Degrade
Those Participating ln Pun
iShmentS Outside Of
the Courts


Roosevelt commends Governor Dul
bin. OF Indiana, for the attitude he a
sumed recently respecting lynehini
The president also embraces the OF
portunlty 20 express his own views Il
reference to lynching and mob vic
lence generally. saying mob violenc'
Is one form Of anarchy and that en-
archy 10 forerunner OF tyranny.
The President vigorously urges tina
penalty for crimes that induce a re
sort 10 lynching shah be applied swift
ly and surely, but by due process Of
The courts 50 that Il may be deemed
strictly that law is adequate TO deal
with crime by freeing IL from every
Eestige OF technically and delay
Presldsnt RooseVeit's Letter
President Rooseyelts letter In full
TO Governor Durbin followsi
oyster Bay. N. Y, Aug. 6, 1898.
MY Dear Governor Durbin; Per
init me 10 thank you as an American
citizen for the way In which you have
yindicnted the majesty Of the law By
your recent action In reference to
ynehlng. 1 feel my dear sir. that you
have made all mon your debtors who
believe. Rs all farseeing men must
that the welLbelng. indeed the very
existence, OF the republic depends on
that orderly liberty under the law
which Is as incompatible with mob
violence as with. any form OF despot
ism. or course mob violence Is sim
ply one form Of anarchy; and anarchy
Is now, as II always will be, the hand
maiden aud forerunner OF tyranny.
Il feel that you have not only re
elected honor ON the state which for
its good fortune has you as its chief
axeentive, but upon the whole nation
u Is incumbent upon every mar
throughout this country not only t.
hold up his hands in the course you
ave been following. but TO show his
realization that 1he matter Is one o
Htal concern 10 as all.
IAN men must feel the grayesi
alarm over NC growth OF lynehing In
he cOuutry, and especially over the
peculiarly hideous forms so often Ia
ten by the mob violence when oolored
men are III Victims, on which oecas
'ons the mob seems to lay weight. no,
m the crime, but ON the color OF thu
'rimmaL In a portion OF these tho
man lynehod has been guilty of ter
nble crime horrible beyond deserip
don. a crime no horrible that as fai
be hlmseli Is concerned he has for
& tied the rlght 10 any kind OF sympa
thy whatsoever
No sympathy for Criminals
The feeling Of all good citizens
that such a hideous crime shall not bu
hldeonaly punished by mob violence
Ia due not In the least TO sympathy
for th0 criminal, but 20 a very lively
sense OF the train OF dreadful conse.
Quenesh which follow the course taken
by the mob In exActing human ven
geanee for an inhumRn wrong. In
such cases, moreover. II IN well TO re
member that the criminal not merely
sins against humanity IN unpardona
BILE fashion. but sins particularly
against his own race. aud does them
a wrong far greater than any white
man can possibly DO them, There
tore In such eases the oolored people
throughout the land should In every
ppssihle way show their belief that
they, more than all others In the com
muni.y. are horihsd at the commits
sion OF such crime, and are peculiar
" eonTerned in taking such measures
a. Will prevent its recurrence ana
bring the criminal 10 immediate Jus
uoe The slightest lack OF vlgoi
either In denunoiation Of the crime OF
Ia bringing the criminal 20 justice is
Itself objectionable.
Moreover every EFFORT should be
made under the law 20 expedite tho
proceeding ot Justice IN the case OF
such an awful crime But Il cannot
ee necessary In order to accomplish
this 70 deprive any citizen OF the fun
dAmenial rights 20 be heard In his own
defense. which are 40 dear 70 MS and