The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-08-20
Capfious Criticism of al Admirable.
ITfferanee.

CapLI0us Criticism OF an Admirable
4 Utfefanee.
DR.. Ell. Dickson Bruins, Of New Or
leans, a gentleman whose ability, in
dependence and sterling character The
Chief has always admired and often
i applauded, taSes what we regard an
ill-fonnded exception TO President
| Roosevelt's elear-cut and admirable
expression OF views on the enormity OF
| the crimes OF criminal assault and
lynchins. The presidents sentiments,
called forth by an application for COM
mutation CT the death sentence in the
case o. negro citizen OF the Distgiet
% Columbia consicted Of criminal as
s8ult upon g little girl, are published
in Pull on the last page OF today
CHIEF, and our readers are invited to
refer to the text for substaptiation or
our contention chat DIR. Bruins has e1-
posea himself to the accus alton of
having uttered either thoughtless OF
captious criticism OF u pronouncement
5hSt merits naught but praise and in
docsemenG at the hands og all right
thinking people.
The doctor quotes q single sentence
from the presidents memorandum and
makes this segregated extract the basis
OF a conclusion and condemnatory
comment that are not justified by fair
minded consider alton or the document
10 its entirety. The sentence to which
reference is made is as follows:
The more We do what in us lies to secure GER
tain and swift justice in dealing with these
cases, the more effectively do we work against
the growth of that lynching spirit which is SO
full OF evil omen Ior this people, because it
seeks to aVenge one infamous crime by the com
mission of another of equal infamy
DR.. Bruins processes to construe this
language as tantamount to an express
sion of opinion on the part of the
president that lynching is crime
equally as infamous as criminal as
ssult, but such construction is wholly
incompatible with the declarations in
other parts of the memorandum that
stThis man committed the most hideous
crime known to our laws. 1t is a
crime so revolving that the criminal is
not entitled to one particle of sympa-
thy from any human being. It is es-
sentfal that punishment for it should
be not only certain, but as swift as
possible. The jury IN this case did
their duty by recommending the death
penalty. It is to be regretted that we
do not have special provision for more
summary dealing with this type og
cases. y
There is room for doubt as to the
ability of even DR.. Bruins himself to
improve upon this forceful denuncia-
ton Of "the most hideous crime known
to our laws" though ke may, as
private citizen, indulge in more in
temperate speech and seathing in
vective than would become the chief
Of the nation, to whom il
committed the duty Of unfolding the |
dignity of the law and securing it's |
enforcement at all times and under all
circumstances.
The Chief disIikes to regard Dr.
Bruins in the light OF critic who will |
either wilfnlly pervert or ignore the
atteranees of political. opponent, yet |
II is difficult to avoid the belief |
hat President Roosevelt's praise
worthy utterances in the case under
discussion would have elected the
good DOCTORS full appreciation, or al
I asst have escaped his criticism, If
hey had emanated from some other
'ouNce-say, for instance, from Judge.
Alton B. Parker, or Grover Cleve-
and, or Wm. J. Bryan, or possibly
ust possibly, mind you--Newton G.
Blanchard.