The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-01-23

and measures. public drunkenness, violat-
ing Sunday laws, or splitting on the side
walk?
1.-The correct solution of the one furn-
ishes the solution of the other. The
courts and the juries can only punish.
They can neither reform the criminal nor
prevent crime. They only repress the
criminal so long as the sentence of the
law rests upon him. After this he is still
the victim of his vicious ferocious. bru-
tall dishonest, deceitful nature-still the
slave of his appetites and his passions.
Whenever the evil forces of his nature
override his judgment he becomes oblivi-
Gus of former punishment and tramples
the law divine or human, under his un-
holy feet
1.-THE most effective method to prevent
crime of any kind Is education. Let the
press make crime odious, detestable, de-
basing in the eyes of the masses. The
newspaper Is a most powerful agency
for such good work. Let the press hold
up the pistol-toter as a coward and a
bully, and publish their names and the cir
eumstances of their arrest and the facts
of their conviction and the sentence inn
posed. The men of pride of chara cter
that would vince under exposure would
cease to put the pistols in their pockets.
Those who have no shame and do not OBJ
jet " DtliS Cdltu pOllTODUS anu tOWdTuS
will continue to carry them. Let the pull
pit, the schools and the colleges join In
the work of educating the student and
the citizen to an observance and respect
for the law. The courts and juries Thould
have a helping hand In the process of
training for good citizenship.
There are no changes needed in the
law. Let it be fearlessly executed as it
now stands. The educational process of
n wi hp fol for tha n no
course of time. The law-breakers cannot
all be educated in day, a week, a month
or a year.
THE records of this court show that ,or
a year and half every man convicted of
carrying a weapon has been sentenced to
a fine of 90 and hard labor on the streets
of Birmingham for 80 days, and still
they conceive convictions today, white
man and a negro. Both, however, are
non-residents. The Birmingham man
knows the punishment, and few. not one
fourth are convicted now in comparison
with two years ago. 1t is the certainty
Of speedy punishment when convicted that
makes men respect the law. Let there
be no doubt in this matter
Judge H. B. Alternately Of the inferior
court: ut is a hard matter to decide how
the evil of carrying concealed weapons
can be remedied. Under the present condi-
lions the good citizens Of Birmingham are
really afraid to appear on the streets after
dark unless armed. Many are compelled
to come back to the city at night and
they are fully aware that many irrespon-
sible persons are at all times armed, and
that they are liable at any time to become
engaged in difficulty with them 1t is
the irresponsible armed people who are
continually on our streets and elsewhere
that endanger the lives of the law-abiding
citizens.
1.-THE question now arises, what shall be
done with these irresponsible persons
who persist in carrying weapons? In my
opinion a fine of say $780, with prob
able Imprisonment, would stop the reck-
less carrying of firearms.