The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-10
The Laws Weak Point.
Hope Mills, Feb.

IoAlol 1VCoSIi5Cl"
1t has been said by one judge that all
and every law is a good law, but I
want some n to explain SO I a I'M
derstand where is the justice in putting
heavy penalties on men for carrying
pistols and at the same time allow
everybody in the state to sell pistols.
Why do men pass laws hat they vio-
late themselves? Why should it be
against the law to carry a pistol when
every dishonest man has one in his
pocket, from the president Of the Unit
ed States down to every negro who is
big enough to have a pocket? Will
some one tell me why these things are
so? Let every man in the legislative
halls turn out all his pockets and
grips and show that there are not two
hundred pistols in the possession of
u sanctified law makers.
Why do they allow the merchants to
rob the people by selling them articles
and then persecute and prosecute the
buyers for using the said articles that
lLey nave UOuSll puUIlCly anu IlOI-
estly and paid their money for?
Will somebody tell why such things
are done and allowed? Is there any JUS
tice in these laws?
All reasonable men are bound to
agree with The Messenger in it's bold
stand against the proposed child labor
law a week ago. I will say, fearless of
successful contradiction, that The Mes
senger was right in every word. Mr..
McKelWay was wrong all the way; as
many others who get their living GU.
of the laboring class and do not work.
The Bible says that all men should
work and if any should not work neith-
er should he eat. I consider him a lit
tie out of his line of business. / know
by experience that any healthy child
is better able to work in the mills at
10 years old thar their mothers are,
because I was a pillow boy at IL years,
and Clipped t%urpentine boxes at IA
years old Int was weakly from birth,
what you would call a tallow-face
boy. I have been near cotton mills
twenty years, my children working In
a mill. I know that the law of two years
ago should be repealed and a law pass
SO ILot III I'LL o1lOuiu NC dilO"Ou "
start earlier than Z o'clock a. M. It
is a shame and sin and a curse on the
mills to force the women and children
to the mills through the snow and
mud and water in the darkest our Of
he night. That is the only law that
ought to be passed.
It is well known that every mar who
tries to do right and tries to gain prop
erty has enemies n the honest man
who can not afford to violate the law
must go with his hands tied, as it
were, and not be allowed to carry
anything to defend himself against
perhaps a host of wicked "diabo,o-
mans" who have already threatened to
way-lay him and ''beat HI out of
him." But some will say: 'Oh, I
would take them with a warrant anc
bind them to keep the peace. But I
find there is no law to bind a bad mar
and no protection for the weak one
who is not willing to beat the other
man lying about it. 1 a searched the
law and asked the lawyers and I find
that there is no law on the books that
will protect the veal against the strong
nor protect a truthful, honest mar
against a dishonest liar. The law max
ers ought to amend these laws so that
the righteous can not be slain by the
wicked with impunity. b..