The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-02
Lawless Negroes.

For the second time within the past
few years Richmond police officer mas
Sheen shot down by a DESPERATE negro
+. once with fatal effect. Minor assaults
NV negroes upon police officers ale TOO
numerous to mention. This is one of
The most serious phases of the negro
question. for it shows the inherent law
lessness Of the negro, There are law
,.biding negroes, but there are many who
seem to have no respect whatever for
authority, or for the institutions Of Cow
eminent Government is the creature OF
The people who constitute 1t, and obedi-
* ence to law must be In the hearts Of the
s3Jaople If law and order are to be main
2la.ned. This issparticularly true In
government like ours. where the people
iule. If the great majority of Individual
= citizens are lawless at heart. there can
be no such thing as stable government.
A police officer in uniform is the living
representative Of the government, and
every man who has any sort of reverence
b 1or government will respect his uniform.
On the other hand. the man who draws
a pistol and deliberately shoots uni
formed policeman. or who in any way,
defies and assaults him, shows by that
act that he is lawless at heart; that he
has no respect for the powers that be.
The lawless negro, however, is pro-
duct OF modern time. When he was in
slavery. when he was subject 60 the
authority of his master, he showed an
obedient spirit that was admirable oc-
caslonally these- were uprisings among
the slaves, nut. they were wonderfully
rare. Even in war times. when the men
we're away on the battlefield, and the
women and children we're left at home
defenseless, the slaves were obedient to
the will of the mistress-aye. more than
chedient: they were loyal.
1t may be said by those who are not
informed, that this was the ODE
dlence of fear We deny 1t. 1t
was the obedience which comes
fiom good training. The slaves werc
reared in an atmosphere of obedience.
The little children were taught lessons
in obedience; the true spirit of obedience
was infused into them and became a
ruling principle. In view Of these well
known facts. we must conclude that
the lawlessness Of the latter-day negro
~ due to lack of training. The new ne.
gro has been reared In a different at.
nosphere. Too often he has been reared
without any sort OF moral restraint. Ne
gro boys have been allowed to run riot
TO crafty their appetites and passion!
to the fullest capacity, and we fear tina
some OF them have been taught that i
IL manly to defy the white mans law
Z 1t would be almost miracle if ne
Hro boy reared under such condition.
should grow up TO be law-abiding citi
.ens having reverence and respect 70
authority and the institutions OF govern
nent.
What are we going to do about 1t? w
& may catch the bad negroes when the
have committed acts OF lawlessness an
PUNISH them. but that is no way Of get
~ ing at the root Of the evil. The trl
a remedy lies In return 10 first prime
pies. The negro children Of the risin
generation must he taught lessons 1
obedience. good manners and goo
morals. IL they are to become wher the
grow up men and women OF good cha
acter, having reverence Tor the instt'
tons of government. Another thing; ri
whites must set the example. The
must uphold the law at all times. II
stead, they have frequently lynched II
black man without law That is a 20
way. to be sure, to make other negro
respect the law
phe obligation is upon the superior al
ruling race. we must give the neg
4 children good training. and We must OBJ
M, and respect and uphold the law under {
& pIcyocation and 81 sh4teyer sasa