The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-05-03
ASrORIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.
THE TRAGEDY AND THE LESSON.
CORVALLIS Times.

The bloodshed of last Sunday morning is not with
out its moral Here are the facts number of
s'smart" boys who have been pleased to style them
selves The gang" have engaged in various acts OF
hoodlumsm during the past two years. Some OF
these boys committed unlawful acts and were put in
Jail. Others on the outside helped them out. This
was one lawless act that came before the public On
another occasion, members Of The gang" broke the
leg of student, and he was compelled on account
Of his injury, to leave college. After that the gang
held up Guier and his companion north of the saw
mill, and besides beating him, destroyed his prop
erty. and took his horse and team from him. 1t was
hgh-handed offense that called for severest pen
alties These and many other ofenses, of which
came to public notice but more that did not are all
matters that cannot have been forgotten.
Connected with these facts, there are matters that
the people have forgotten. For when the gang
broke Jail the officers captured them and nearly all
were sentenced to 40 days in jail 1t is perhaps for
gotten but it is nevertheless true that the storm OF
public sentiment that was aroused by the severity OF
those sentences was remarkable People of all classes
criticised the officers for their heartless treatment
of the boys They said the penalties too severe
Women were up in arms and with tears and threats
harasSed the officers, who had made an honest at
tempt to put an end to the hodlumism. In short, a
strenuous public sentiment of such proportions arose
that the officers were actually compelled to open the
Jail doors and set the bys at liberty before their SEN
L., boo, fact hat N
present instance should be carefully borne in mind,
for it is the purpose of this article to assert that
part of the responsibility for The events of last Sun
day morning and the very bad reputation that those
events have given Corvallis abroad, rests upon the
citizens Of Corvallis themselves.
The one influence, and the only influence that en-
forces laws and preserves society is public sentiment
The Sunday closing law was never enforced IN Cor
wallis. until public sentiment demanded it. 1t IS not
enforced in many other towns because public sentl-
ment does not insist on it. municipalities may pass
all manner of laws but if it is not the full desire OF
the people that those laws be enforced, they will
be void 1t is in the power Of public opinion any
time to nullify any law. No officer will enforce
law unless he is convinced that he has the people at
his back. Young Ready was able to buy liquor Satur-
dav night because the people of Corvallis have failed
to make it fully known to the saloon men that IN
toxicants must not be sold to minors Ii, IN voice
that could not have been misunderstood the people
had hitherto made it known to all saloon men that
the sale of liquor to all minors was at the immediate
peril of the seller, it is very doubtful if the tragic
events of Sunday morning would have happened.
If with equal significance, the people had made II
known that concealed weapons are carried at the
peril of the carrier smart boys would not go about
town with big revovers in their pockets 1t is idle
to attempt to shift the blame altogether on the sa-
loon men, When the officers attempted to give vgor-
GUS penalties to the "gang," public sentiment pre-
vented those penalties from being carried out 1t
was then and there that the officers got their fingers
burned in vigorous law enforcement and 1t Is not
surprising that Officer Osborn did not dare fire Sun
day morning, but followed and followed, and coun-
seled and counseled until he fell wounded He knew
that he dared not fire. because if he had all Corvallis
would have risen and criticised and condemned. 1t
is idle to say this is not true because the officers OF
Corvallis have had experience and know that such
would have been the case.
The lesson is this: Saloon men will sell intoxicants
to minors until an indignant and united people serves
notice ON them to do it more Officers will be mod
crate in the treatment Of offenders until public senti
ment. in no uncertain tones, demands vigorous
punishment. Young boys will continue to drink, to
haunt the streets at night and to indulge in further
acts Of hodlumism until determined people warns
them to 90 home at a proper hour and stay there
The gang" will still be the "gang" and after