The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-11-03
PRESIDENT ON MOB LAW.
In Addresses at Little Rock, Arkansas.
Roosevelt Talks Plainly on the
Lynching Evil.

LIuShu6 GVus
President Roosevelt spent seven
crowded hours In and around Little
Rock, Ark, Wednesday, and his jour
ney from Fort Logan H. Roots, on Big
Rock, on the north side Of the Arkau.
sss river. to the city park in Little
Rock, was marked by enthusiastic
demonstrations O! welcome. While in
Little Rock the president delivered
two speeches, one at the city park
and the other at a luncheon,
The feature of the presidents ad-
dress at the city park was his refer
ence to lynch law. Turning to Gov.
ernor Davis, he said:
Governor, you spoke Of a hideous
crime that is often hideously avenged,
The worst enemy of the negro race
is the negro criminal, and, above all,
the negro criminal Of that type; for
he has committed not only an un-
speakable hideous and Infamous crime
+ against the victim, but he has com
mitted a hideous crime against the
people of his own color, and every
reputable colored man, every colored
man who wishes to see the uplifting
of his race, owes it as his first duty
to himself and TO that race to hunt
down that criminal with all his soul
and strength.
Nov. for the side OF the white
man. To avenge one hideous crime
by another hideous crime is TO reduce
the man doing 1t to the bestial level
OF the man who committed the bestial
crime. The horrible effects of lynch
law are shown in the fact that three
fourths OF the lynchings are not for
that crime at all, but for other crimes.
And, above all, other men, Governor,
you and l, and all who are opponents
and representatives. Of the law, owe
il 10 our people, owe it TO the cause
Of civilization and humanity. TO do
everything in our power, officially and
unofficlally, directly and Indirectly TO
free the United States from the men.
acc ana reproaCh Of lynch law.
In bis speech at the luncheon Civ
en- in his honor The president dis.
Cusscl certain legal abuses by which
criminals csca;e punishment. lie
said:
we urgently need in this country
methods for cxpcdi,ing punishment,
methods for doing away with delay,
methods which will secure 10 the pub
lie an even chance with the criminal.
At the present the right of appeal is.
in certain cases, so abused as 10 make
il a matter of the utmost difficulty TO
punish a man sufficiently rich or SUI.
Ccicntly influential to command really
good legal talent
III the law is reasonably SPEEDY
and reasonably sure, It takes away
one great excuse for lawlessness. II
some horrible crime Is committed and
the people feel that under the bes.
circumstances there will be an Indeh,
mite delay in the punishment OF the
criminal and that the punishment will
be uncertain, even when the time for
administration OF it comes. then "A
premium is put on that Kind Of law
! breaking whicA moro than any other
! IS a menace to the law,
Il earnestly hope that some sub
s.antial Improvement shall be made
in the direction OF securing greater
expedition and greater certainty In the
administration OF justice, especially in
the administration OF criminal justice"
President Roosevelt and party ar
rived in Memphis at $3.50 D. m. and
left for New Orleans over the Illinois
/ Central railroad twenty minutes later.
! IL ~