The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-06-17
Journal s0fa ath. yaaa Science sgrifuut
a5 80


Lawlcssness and Criminality.
In another column of the Chronicle
will be found a proclamation by the
Governor, offering a reward of $3.50
for the arrest and conviction OF the
party or parties who fired into the
camp of the Italian laborers in the
employ of the Grant land & Lumber
Co., at Selma, La, on the night oil
May Both, 1905.
The Chronicle has on many occa-
sions protested against such lawless-
ness and criminality within the Dor
ders of Grant parish, whether aimed
at Mexicans, Italians, Portuguese, Chi
nese, or Negroes. There is absolutely
no decent explanation or apology
that can be offered for the interior
ence of any set of men with the rights
and liberties of others in the peace
full pursuit of happiness by means of
their honest labor.
Any contention to the contrary is
vicious and corrupting in theory,
harmful and outrageous in practice,
subverting of all the rules of justice
and right, and in the end leads to vi
olence and murder.
People who would apologize for, or
attempt to shield or encourage such
illegal acts or interference, are ene-
mics to society, and are just as dan
gerous to the public veal as are the
actors in such lawlessness and crimi-
nality. They are a curse and draw
back to any community.
No such state of affairs exists in
any well regulated and law abiding
community, and the miscreants gull
ty of this violence would not dare go
into a highly civilized community and
engage in this criminal action. That
it has been done in Grant parish ia a
reflection on orr general intelligence
and integrity, and should bring the
blush of shame to every man who
loves liberty and right and sorrows
over ignorance and crime.
The constitution of the United
States guarantees to all dwellers in
the land. "the blessing of liberty to
themselves and their posterity," and
every man Of intelligence aud patri-
otismi is by virtue of his citizenship
in this ''land of the free and home OF
the brave" bound to observe the laws
of the country. and promote the
general welfare" For any set of men
in any community to arrogate to
themselves the right to forbid aliens
and foreigners to come into their
borders is a crime,- and there is no
justification for it.
If we are to have law and order in
Grant parish, it must he observed by
every man. II aliens and strangers
can be abused and maltreated,T then
there is no protection to life, liberty
and property, and it is only u ques-
ton of tine when interference and vi
olence can be expected by any man.
We are glad to know that these
acts OF violence are confined to but
small portion of Grant parish, and
those guilty of criminaiity are great
ly in the minority, even where the Vi
olence occurs. Let the good people
of this parish set their faces against
lawlessness in all forms, give all
the help they can to the officers of
the law in running these criminals to
earth, and it will not take long 20
get rid of them.
Governor Blanchard very rightly
feels it his duty to see to the enforce
ment of the laws in the interest of all
the citizens of this commonwealth,
and he can be counted on to use his
utmost endeavor to stamp out this
species Of lawlessDess and sneaking
which has become an out
rage and Disgrace to the eastern por-
ton of Grant parish, from it's fire.
quent occurrence in that quarter.
The very fact that those engaged in
such acts always take good care to
keep their names and actions in the
dark, and away from the officers of
the law, is all that is necessary to
convince an honorable man that they
know they are criminals.