The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-12

for the protection of negro, if it Is necessary to punish a white offend 1 CT
 The reflection is a painful one, that state of things Is fast arising in these communities, when the negro who dwells among them, will be regarded by the i vicious as an outlaw, whom any who choose may knock in the head as he would a proving wolf If this malignant 1 spirit is not checked and crushed out, the poison will surely spread, and grad 1 ually 1t will sweep over the entire state It takes no prophet to foretell, if such things are allowed, what woe 1t will bring I to the state. and what peril to the inno- cent of both races.
 Is no Justification.
 Ut is no defense or Justification for such a spirit, or the failure to relentlessly combat it, that the evil is not sectional. It detracts nothing from the enormity of l putting that spirit in practice. to say as is true. that under like conditions and surroundings, that spirit and what 1t produces would be as common in one l part of the country as in the other. It Is the evil at our doors which threat tens | us. It is no excuse to say that there l are men among us who give the negro bad counsel, and that he commits crime I 1NNNtNSN 1 counsel.
 We can and do punish him and them relentlessly, and when punishment is met | ed out by the law, 1t Is ample remedy. 1 How can we expect the negro to keep down the Irresponsible and vicious of his own race. or prevent results of 1 his bad teachings. when the dominant race Is either poweress or unwilling to control its lawless members who preach l doctrines the race condemn? Every in l cendiary appeal to race passion, only arms the. bad negro with greater power for harm among his own people. The l pathway we are pursuing Is not safe. It is full of peril. The public opinion l which throngs in and becomes partaker of the councils of state and rules the na- tions of the earth, if promptly and thor | oughly aroused can do more than all the nstrumentalities of the law, to re- | turn us to the paths of safety and jus tice. Each of us in our sphere can dc much to aid in shaping and putting that public opinion in motion.
 What Every Citizen Should Do.
 Let Us teach in season and out of season that justice meted out by law to criminals is a better shield for the home against the assassin robber and incen- diary than the orgies of the mob around the burning body at the stake, which only incites passions for revenge, and bring down upon us the just condemns tion of the civilized world
 Let Us impress upon the officers of the that they occupy relations to prisoners and have a duty to perform to others in perfecting them, which every code oi honor and right compels them to dis. charge no matter what the cost.
 Let us cease faltering condemnation of mob violence, and speak out about the good but misguided men who burn jails and assault officers.
 Revolt at Such Things.
 'Let us teach that good men revolt al such things, and press upon the mind minds and consciences of the people thai men who are willing to take the lives of officers for protecting a prisoner, are enemies of mankind
 'Let us impress upon those in author ity that the law has the right of self defense; that it is no excuse for failure to discharge the duty of protecting the law, in protecting a prisoner. that some good man bent on arson or murder, may be hurt The shots fired by sherffs 1T defence of the jails of Jefferson and St Clair counties have done more for liberty in Alabama than all the efforts of it's law makers in the past quarter of century.
 "Let us frown down and scorn reck. less agitators, and teach them that it is g crime against the peace of the state tC trife with race passions. Let us have as little toleration for his presence, as wt would for the visit of a drunken man