The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-03-17
The Philosophy of Freedom
An Open Forun for Single Takers

| findeth me shall STAY me-" cried the
murderer. And the Lord set q mark
upon Cain, lest any finding him
should kill him."
The ethical teaching Of this story
| is in strange contrast to the prevail
ing sentiments of our day Today, the
mark of Cain is a bait for the mob,
and even preachers are found who abb
solve murderers of murderers.
WORSE THAN MURDER.
Ohio is the last to respond to the
roll of dishonor. The story of that
Springfield mob is horrible. 1t is sad
enough when one man does MUIR
derous deed. But the revolving saw
ageness of the multitude is infinitely
worse. To look into the heart of that
beastly mob is like looking into the
mouth of hell. When the tiger leaps
forth in the man--that is terrible. The
tragedy is not in the loss of life. 1t is
in the loss of reason. 1t is in this
sudden transformation of the man
into the fiend; 1t is in the revelation Of
the baseness and brutality that lie SO
near the surface of the human heart.
A CITY ON TRIAL. *
Ohio is in disgrace. The mark Of
Cain Is on the brow of one of her,
| fairest cities. But we do not yet
merit the contempt of the world The
worst has not yet happened. The
real character Of man is shown, not
| by the sin which he commits, but by
his conduct afterwards. So. with
city. The city of Springfield is now
on trial. Was that mob Springfield?
| Was that fair sample of her cjti-
zenship? She las yet the chance to
redeem her name. She may deal with
the perpetrators of that crime In such
way as to set a needed example to
the nation. She may do more now
for the cause of civilization than the
mob has done Tor the cause Of savag-
cry. Let her punish those b,asphem-
ers Of justice and publish to the world
that Springfield is not the city and
Ohio Is not the state 70 tolerate this
thing.
SHAME OF OPEN SHAME.
| WHAT is The miserable apology
which the mob makes? Is it not that
the authorities are lax and crime goes
unpublished? Then learn well the les
son which the mob would teach you
and begin by making an example Of
its leader. If The citizens of Spring
field will listen to that advice they
| will deserve the country's gratitude.
But if they do Lot listen to it; If they
acquiesce in this crime, then let The
| world say of them.
"On you the shame of open shame, on
you from north to south
The hand Of every honest man flat-
heele1 across your mouth"
How should the perpetrators Of this
crime be punished? To hang them
would be mercliul. But fol- the state
TO punish them in this way would be
to do in GOODNESS what they did in
heat. would have the state the
first to show Its horror of murder by 4
refraining from murder.
DISFRANCHISE THIN
| would make a fearless investiga-
ton. I would determine the extent
Of each mans completely. Put their
pictures in the rogues' gallery of the
town. Publicly declare them the MUIR
derers that they are. Forever deprive
them of their citizenship, and if nee
essary for the prevention of another
such crime, put them behind bars, out
of reach of any governors pardon.
Those murderers in the streets of
Springfield are wo. Sc than their fell
lows in the penitentiary, for they
boast of their crime and cali 1t justice.
Let the judge and the preacher de-
clare and let the public also say:
THAT the sin they do by two and
two they must pay for one by one"