The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-28

for plain speaking. and the truth IS plain and patent that human life Is too cheap In Alabama today. Not that Alabama is worse than some others. but that our chief concern lies at home. The rights of property are fairly we'll protected by our laws and courts. but human life is not, as all must admit, if they have kept up with current events. Especially is this true with regard to the life of the coiored race. We say this with some feelings of re- luctance and humiliation. because 1t sounds like reflection on our own people, but the charge is true. and all know 1t who read the newspapers. or keep themselves properly informed. Let us copy two paragraphs from the report of the Huntsville jury on, this point, as showing the opinions of the members of that body. They say:
 'The white people of this section feel | to the negro race which has occupied | and still occupies ain inferior position | to theirs. and q position less advant- ! ageous than they have enjoyed, and no
 
 superior to an inferior race than to | seek to elevate them into a better cit- | izenship by a respect for and observ- ance of the laws of the land.
 How can this duty be discharged If we fail to accord him at least a fair trial and such as is accorded to other members of the community, before the 1 punishment of the law is inflicted upon him. The State of Alabama and the whole Southern people have been brought to shame by this occurrence and by other like instances where the law was trodden under foot and the | justice denied TO unfortunate victims of mob violence which the law directs they should have and which others l enjoy"
 Are not these words of truth and soberness." ftly and timely spoken? | That jury was not composed of ene- I mics of Alabama or of Alabama's con- stitutional rights. They were substan- tial citizens of the State, thirteen of them Democrats, 1t is stated, some of them Confederate soldiers. The fore man was not only one of the best citi- gems of North Alabama, but he bears on his person wounds received in de- fense of Alabama and in defense of the doctrine of States rights.
 The words of such men are entitled to consideration. and they will receive It from just and fair minded men, both In Alabama and elsewhere. No race of people ever owed more solemn duty or obligation to another than the white people of the South owe to the colored. and they must perform that duty as honest Christian men or be shamed in the estimation of good men now and hereafter. It Is not an extravagant use of language to say that the white people of Alabama have absolute con- troi, political, of1cial and judicial, of the colored race. and 1t should be a matter of pride to give that race equal and exact justice before the law. That Is the theory of our laws. but we are bound to admit that the theory Is not carried out as it could be and as 1t ought to be. This Is e solemn truth and our readers know 1t.
 Now if our own courts and our own DC cpIe fail or refuse to do their whole duty. what must follow but the inter-
 
 the words of the grand jury again:
 'aThe law must be vindIcated, order maintained and anarchy abolished and punished. If this cannot be done by one agency, then rational and honest ment from any source by which pun 1 ishment and~prevention may be law fully administered"
 zA .h,. -1~t.4I.. 4.,,os ve ca. courts fail or refuse to punish crime. particularly the awful crime of lynch ing, other and outside authority will be invoked, and we have no right to complain. We may feel that the Fed eral Government Is infringing on the rights of the State of Alabama. but even If that is true. we bring 1t on ourselves and our mouths are closed by our own acts of omission. We must first do justice before we complain at outside assistance.
 We do not feel called on to comment on the remarks of Judge Jones' They are the words of c man learned In the law, a typical Southern man, who feels the weight of responsibility resting on
 him. and who will do his duty as he
 sees it, regardless of popular clamor
 He fortifies his position by the highest authority. and we may add that he Is
 as little likely to forget his tealty to his State and his people as is any one of his critics. Let our people read and reflect on what Judge and jury have
 done, and their reasons therefor. and ask themselves seriously. if both have not done their duty and conferred q