The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1905-03-17


man of a crime committed by a
negro against a white man. AT
the same time this negro, though
he will shield a criminal of his
own race, may himself be othar-
wise correct in his own life. And
that is one of the greatest diff
culties in this extraordinary sit
uation.
What shall be done?
The answer is simple.
Let the law be enforced.
Let there be at once in every
county in the State of Mississ-
ippi a most vicious campaign
against the vagrant-the vicious
idler and the keepers of dives of
infamy.
Let the rendezvous of the rap
ist, the murderer, the crapshooter
and the blind tiger be closed.
In other words, enforce the
law. The law of the land is ample
even in this emergency, if only
rigidly enforced, and it's euforce-
ment is the only prophylactic for
this social distemper.
Fall to enforce the law and tho
mob will usurp the function which
you should perform, but which
you have betrayed.
There is no time for hesitation,
for he who dallies is bastard,
and he who doubts is damned.
| am aware Of the fact that
the officers of the law in the per-
formance of their duty in this re-
gard will encounter opposition
from some eminently respect
able(?) gentlemen living in the
cities who have houses to rent,
and others in the country who
will insist that labor is being
driven from the State, but such
specious arguments should be of
no avail with a white man or
officer who has the welfare of
his State at heart. Let me insist
that the officers treat such oppo-
sition as he would any other class
of criminals, for | hold that man
who, for pecuniary profit, would
imperil the fail name of woman
or the peace Of the community
by renting a house to a person
whose business he knows to be
dangerous to the morals Of that
comm nifty IS him elf a greater
enemy to society than his Grim
inal tout.
CLOSING DOOR OF HOPE.
Much has been said about clos
ing the door of hope in the face
of the black man. Unless the
officers of the law do their full
duty in suppressing the increas-
ing criminal tendency Of the
negro, it looks to me like the
probability is that the door of
hope will be closed in the face of
the white man.
| want the law enforced.
| want the negro protected in
his enjoyment of life, liberty,
the product of his labor and the
pursuit Of happiness.
waut the mob spirit discour-
rged in every way, And the only
way to do it is to enforce the
law vigorously the law against
vagrants particularly, abe all
criminals of both races, If this
shall be done | feel safe in say
ing that crime among the negroes
in in the State of Mississippi
for the year 1905 will decrease
Is per cent.
Officers of Mississippi, | expect
you to do your duty. The peace
and order of your respective
communities havo been com
mitted to your keeping. Most OF
the crimes that have been com
mitted by negroes upon white
women are traceable to your
neglect of duty.
| have yet to learn of single
crime of rape being committed
by a negro who made his living
by honest toll, and had you done
your duty in enforcing the law
AGAINST yaprancy. the beast
who blighted the life of that
good woman might have been on
the country farm, working on
the streets or locked in prison.
Trusting that you may realize
the gravity and Importance of
your position, your responsibility
to society and the necessity for
tho vigorous performance Of
your duty that you may be
strong enough in the face of any
and all opposition to spurn any
influence that would deter you
from the performance of that
duty, | am, cordially and sincere
| ly, JAMES K. VARDAMAN.
Mr.. j. E. Compton left this week
with his family for Memphis, where
they will in future reside. For several
years Mr.. Compton was proprietor OF
the Elite Barber Shop and was man
who made friends with everybody with
whom he came in contact We sincere
ly regret to lose them as citizens Of
Tupelo, but wish for them every JOY