The leader., 1905-07-12
WHITE CAPS TO Ask PARDON.

| We we're told in the dispatches
from Mississippi several days ago
THAT petitions would soon be cir
Iculated in Lincoln and Amite
lcounties asking Governor Varda-
Imam to pardon the men convicted
of white Gaping by the Circuit
Court. That much was to be ex-
pected. After the courts have,
lin the face of peculiar difficulties,
finally brought a man to justice on
any charge there usually develops
Ian unreasonable sympathy for the
convict in the minds of great
many people. They seem TO for
get that mere conviction is not all
that is necessary to vindicate the
law; that the undergoing of the
punishment is the main thing, af-
tier all, if the convicts and those
inclined to follow the same course
are to be taught that it is essen
TALLY unwise to break the law. In
fact, there is nothing we know of
in this country that so initiates
against the law being held in re-
lspect as the foolish sympathy of a
large class of respectable people
with those who happen to be
rightfully caught in the tolls. A
convict is not a martyr, but in
nearly every case a man who is
undergoing punishment for a wan
ton disregard of the principles
that lie at the base of the social
organization, and he should be so
regarded. The. white cappers, for
whom clemency will be asked of
Gov. Vardaman, belong to set
of people, ignorant possibly, but
unquestionably malicious, who
have done more to bring reproach
on Mississippi than. any one else
in recent years. They also be-
long to a class of criminals whose
violations of the law are of the
most cowardly character conceiva-
BILE, being always committed un-
der cover of night and without
giving the chosen victim the
slightest chance for successful re-
sistance. 1t is hard to see on
what reasonable ground Gov. Var
daman can be asked to interfere
with the sentence of the court.
The extreme difficulty of finding
conviction in such cases is pretty
good evidence that the men are
guilty. And certainly no mere
sentimental consideration of the
pain to them, their families and
neighbors, would induce the Gov
ernor to relieve them from the
pains and penalties Justly incur
red. His Excellency has shown
he has full appreciation of the
powers and responsibilities of.his
high Office. He knows the par
doning power is so lodged with
lhim either to correct an occasional
injustice of the court or to dis
charge a convict when the object
of his imprisonment has been
clearly attained. If he pardons
the Lincoln and Amite county
white cappers they must have
some plea with which we are not
familiar. N. O. Times-Democrat,
26th.
What our city cotemporary says
above on the subject Of pardoning
the Lincoln white caps and the
general subject of pardons, is
timely and eminently correct. No,
"A convict is not a martyr, but
lin nearly every case man who
lis undergoing punishment for a
wanton disregard of the princi
Piles that lie at the base of the So
ciaI organization, and he should
he so regarded" as the I'D.
tersely expresses a great truth.
Lincoln county has suffered in
public morality, reputation and
money at three several periods in
her brief history, as the direct re-
IsuIt of organized lawlessness.
First it was the bulIdozers, nearly
l30 years ago; next the white caps
in 1898, who went so far as to
make an armed demonstration in
the presence of the court, menace
the judge on the bench with yio-
lence and necessitatc the calling
out Of State troops by Gov. Stone;
and latterly, we have bad the
more extensively organized and
mischievious white cap organiza-
tion to which the I'D. directly.
refers. Had the old bulIdozers
been vigorously dealt with and
those who were caught and known,
to be guilty been made to pay in
full the legal penalty, it is more
than likely that that would have
been the end Of organized white
Gaping in Amite, franklin and
Lincoln counties. And had a
more vigorous example been made
of the white cappers Of 1898, it is
believed the experience Of the
men engaged in that movement
would have deferred a revival Of q
similar movement within the past
three years, which grew to such