The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-08
John Temple Graves Dis
cusses Race Question.
LESSER REMEDIES FUTILE
Would Stroud in Mystery and Dark
ness Punishment Of Fiendish
Black Criminal


crimes; demands the separation Of the
races ia the South advocates the pun
ishment of the criminal negro amidst
darkness and mystery expresses the
opinion that lesser remedies are futile.
ana regret for the growth OF secret
clubs, and gives his views OF the race
question at great length.
Contrary TO the statement sent out
from Atlanta" ne says, II am not and
never have been an advocate Of lynch
ing.
What have said has simply been
a little holder in the fair statement of
truth and fact than many OF my con-
tempOraries In the South have been mt
10 be upon this question. have said,
and / say again. with an ever-increasing
emphasis, that I have no sympathy with
the journalism or philanthropy. North
or South, which expends its whole
breath and energy in denouncing the
mob. and fails. in the same breath or
in the same column, 10 denOunce the
atrocious and incompatible crime which
inspires the mob.
II have saio, and any thinking man
viii know without argument that the
statement Is inherently true, that the
mob VIII continue TO exist so long as The
laws delays and the laws defects pro-
crastinate the trial and punishment of
criminals or make possible by transfers
and technicalities their fun escape from
The penalty OF their awful crimes.
VIII Protect the Women.
Il have said. and any man North or
South who thinks and feels viii recog-
nize the truth OF the assertion, that
the white men OF this country al all
hazards and by all means are going
70 protect the women OF their homes.
and that wherever law is ineffective
or Overdilatory for this protection, the
hot blood OF an indignant people win
be In the future, as IL has been i'm
the past, most likely TO take The law
into its own hands and 10 vindicate
0g.JyF!agso society by popular vengeance
have diligently sought and dill
genJly advocated all the various punitive
4nd preventive remedies that i could
discover and invent j have suggested.
and IN this there is much concurrence.
lnal g reform OF our criminal laws
tne ueIeIl1allLs attorneys should be So
limited lu these criminal cases as To
remove from him the temptation 10
defeat evident crime or 10 pr0crastinate
legal procedure 10 the point OF legal
uADustering-
In Mystery and Darkness.
81 have advocated the abolition Of
the present method OF caDitaI u44nfsh-
menU and the discarding Of the noisy
gallows. the daily newspaper notices.
The press reports, the good fare, the
comfortable ride 10 the gaIlows amid q
shouting multitude, the last speech and
the publicity which makes an emotional
criminal a hero and the cynosure OF all
eyes. And instead Of these I have adj
Vocated the dealing with this seventh
century race after the seventh century
methods ana, realizing that the NEGRO
q FH- re-
advocated the employment 0f the zTa-
ments Of darkness and mystery which
always had the most tremendous effect
upon the minds OF a race such as we
1-aEe 90 deal with in this instance.
naI ] meant by this suggestion and
what j distinctly said iu elab0rarf0r nj
II was that n. instead Of these public
and spectacular punizhmenls. the crimi-
naI negro with his superstitions should
know that upon conviction OF his crime
ne would cross a Bridge OF Slzhz " and
disappear into prison OF darkness and
mystery. rom which he would never
emerge and in which be would meet a
Aa-r known 10 no man save the Gov
efHlAenL ana the execuuoHcrs Of the
LaW-t-.at the very darkness and mys-
terry OF this punishment Would strike
more terror 10 the soul OF superstiJious
Sl-l5i-----7 man az tAe vengeance Of
This suggestion OF mine was con
sfruea IN the dispatches sent out from
Atlanta 20 mean the advocacy OF q re-
FiVal OF the I<u kluE Khan. IL had no
such application. i did saw Of the FErs
kIuX Khan that IN the desperate and
stormy tunes AZ which 10 nDurIshed the
darkness and mystery OF its plans and
actions were the most terrifying and
deterrent Influences which had ever been
brought 10 the suppression of crime and
laWleszness among these ignorant and
ueuolsl blacks. ] said further that If
the threat Of Federal interference with
our state courts should ever ma LerlaliZe.
81 ali probability the resentment and the
necessity Of this people would take the
form Of a revival Of the Ku KluX Khan
Z 10 Hs.r !.
20 intimidaLe the criminal and 10 escape
the publicity and responsibility OF its
eWn acts oI vengeance and FOR lhis
statement I have no further explaua-
ton and no possible apology except its
inherent truth.
Before the Day. Club.
There can be no question but that the
civilization Of the South is In serious
and alarming crisis. Conservative news
papers which are more Interested I'm the
success Of political parties and iu the
continuance OF business prosperity than
they are iu the more vital concerns Of
life and honor ana civilization, have
united iu tEe effort 20 decry the exist
ence ~ Before Day Clubs and OF or
gained law iessless and crime amone
the negroes Of the South
zone Of the leading and conservative
papers OF the south. and one FOR whose
editor j entertain the highest and sim
cerest regard, has been "a leader iu this
movement Of crying Peace. peace. when
there is no peace and OF sending out 20
the world assurances that there are no
orgauiza lions OF this kind Oh the South
THE existence or these organizations
iu the South is established upon avi-
eSn,cf as -5 SOUND ana eo9ellslge as thar
prosperity. the Development OF our iu-
dLsLTleB, OF the matter OF our LOYALTY 10
a restored and reunited country.
THE editorials OF TeuuLa bic ueWsDa-
pers, the dispatches OF reputa bic CORE
Ep0ndents. whose words have not been
questioned iu any other instance. and.
above all. the testimony OF th0usa nos u
reputable men ana women iu rural re-
RiOuE OF the State esra liisl the fact 0f
the existence OF this reign Of IaWiess-
ness. Notwithstanding the polite protest
OF political and commercial newspaper.
Stirred Up by Politicians.
These Before Day Clubs have prCce-
dent in the John Brown CLUBS WHICH
sprang up by magic all over the South
just after the tragedy that ended the life