The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-05
CONDEMNS MOB VIOLENCE.
Men Who Lynch Criminals Sink to
His Own Level.

In connection with the delays of the
law. / call your attention and the at
tention Of the Nation, TO the prevalence
OF crime among us. and. above all. to the
epidemic of lynching and mob violence
that springs up, now IN one part OF our
country. now In another. Each section.
North, South. East or West, has It's own
faults; no section can :cIth wisdom spend
It's time Jcerlng at the taults OF another
section. II should ne brsy trying TO
amend It's own Shortcomings. To deal
with the crime of corruption II is neces-
sary to have an awakened public con-
science. and 10 supplement this by what
ever legislation Will add speed and Ger
tainty 10 the execution OF the law When
We deal with lynchlng even more Is nee
essary great many white men are
lynched. but the crime is peculiarly fire.
quent In respect 20 black men. The great
est existing cause OF lNnching is the per
petratioD, especially bv black men, OF the
hideous crime Of rape-thc most abom-
Unable In all the category of crimes, even
worse than murder. Mobs frequently
avenge the commission OF this crime by
themselves tor:uring TO death the man
committing II. thus averaging In bestial
fashion a bestial deel. and reducing
themselves TO level with the criminal.
Iaw!essness grows by what II reeds
upon; and when mobs begin TO lynch TOT
rape they speedily extend the sphere ot
their opera tions and lynch for many other
kinds of crimes. so that two-thirds or
the lynchings are not Tor rape ct an;
while a considerable proportion Of the In
dlvlduals lynchcd are innocent OF all
crime Gov. Gambler Of Georgia stated on
one occasion. some years ago. Il can
say OF n verify that | have, within the
last month, saved the lives OF half a
dozen innocent negroes who were pursued
by the mob. and brought them to trial
In a court of a law In which they were
sissippi has finely said: when the rule
of mob obtains, that which distin-
gushes a high civilization Is surrendered;
The mob which lynches negro charged
with rape VIII in II little while lynch n
white man suspected OF crime EVERY
Christian patriot in America needs TO MT
up his voice In loud and eternal protest
against the mob spirit that is threaten
ing the integrity of this Republic. Gov.
.Ielks of Alabama has recently spoken as
follows: The lynching OF any person
for whatever crime Is inexcusable any
where-it Is n defiance Of orderly govern
ment: but the killing of innocent people
under any provocatlon is iniinitelY more
horrible: and yet innocent people are like
ly to die when a mob's terrible lust is
once aroused, The lesson is this: No
good citizen can AFFORD 70 countenance a
defiance of the statutes. no matter what
the provocation. The Innocent frequently
suffer. and. 1T is my observation. more
usually suffer than the guilty. The white
people OF the South indlct the whole col
ored race on the ground that even the
better elements lend no assistance what
ever in ferretng out criminals OF their
own color. The respectable colored peo-
Pile muat learn not 10 harbor their crini-
mails. but 10 assist the officers In bring.
Ing them TO Justice. This is the larger
crime. and H. provotes such atroclous Of
lenses as the one at Atlanta. The two
races can never get on until there is
an understanding on the part OF both
TO make common cause with the law
ebidng against criminals Of any color
Lynchtng Feeds the Flame.
Moreover. where any crime committed
by a member OF one race against a mem
Der Of another race is avenged in such
fashion that N seems as II nol the indi-
yidual criminal, but the whole. race, is
attacked, the result is To eNasperate TO
the highest degree race feeling. There is
but one safe rule In dealing with black
men as with white men; II is the same
rule that must be applied in dealing with
rich men ard poor men; that Is. TO trent
each man, whatever his color his creed,
or his social position with even handed
justice ON his real worth as man. White
people owe II quite as much TO Them
selves as TO the colored race TO treat
well the colored man who shows by his
life that he deserves such treatment; tor
it is surely the highest wisdom to en-
courage In the colored race all those IN
dlviduaIs who are honest; Industrious.
law abiding. and who therefore make
good and safe neiehbors and citizens. Re
ward OF punish the individual on his
merits as an Individual Evil viii sure
" come In The end TO both races II we
substitute for this just rule the habit of
treating all the members OF the race.
good and bad; alike; There is no ques-
nation" involved; only the question of re-
lenilessly Furnishing bad men. and of Sc
curing TO the good man the right To bis
life his liberty and the pursuit OF his
happiness as his own qualities of heart.
head, and hand enable him 10 achieve II. |
Every colorcd man should roa.ize that
the worst enemy Of his race is the negro |
criminal. and above all the negro crimi- |
nal who commits the dreadful crime OF |
rape: and II should be felt In the high
est degree tNenSe against the whole |
country. and against the colored race I'm !
particular, lor colored man to fail to |
help The officers OF the law In hunting |
down with all possible earnestness and |
zeal every such Infamous offender, More |