The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-06-01
Lynching For Assault.

beginning to take common sense,
natural view of this question of lynch.
ing negroes for assault upon white
women. Reason is beginning to pre-
vai'.
Here is recent editorial from the
Washington Post, one Of the most
conservative rs we'll as one of the
most influential newspapers any
where:
"There is considerable human nn-
ture in this world, and it thinks,
speaks, and acts TIL" s.."e lang iage in
Ohio and in Georgia, in Kan N" and
in Mississippi. Last Wednesday, at
Marysville, Ohio, negro who had
assaulted white woman was only
saved from mob violence by the cum
ming and the trick Of the sheriff,
and on the same day, at Rosetlale,
Kan, a negro who had been discov-
cred concealed under the bed of
white woman was actually strung up
by mob, and would have paid the
penalty with his life if the police had
not gone to the rescue and cut him
down.
"Kansas is where they encourage
the negro to vote and resent his at
tempts to labor. Mississippi is where
they will not allow the negro to vote,
but insist that he shall work. With
this difference, Kansas and MISSISSIPPI
pi look upon the man and brother pre-
cisely alike. In Kansas, and in Ohio,
the negro is Il political factor-entirc-
ly so. In Mississippi, and in South
Carolina, the negro is out of politics
entirely so.
"But whether North or South, when
negro assaults n white woman, the
effect on the community is the same.
The rage Of the people becomes
frenzy, and a way would be found to
kill him Though he were immortal,"
if the mob could lay hands on him at
the moment. 1t is useless to speak
Of the law there and then. Where is
the man, North or South, East or
West, who would have his wife or
daughter detail to the jury the story
of her shame7 We can MI stand the
toothache with admirable and serene
philosophy if it be somebody else IS
tooth; but the white man does not live,
North or South, who would not soon
er lynch n thousand miscreants than
that his modest daughter should be
subjected to the ordeal of telling the
story of her shame to public morbid
with vitiatcd curiosity.
"This is all very unfortunate;
very wrong, perhaps; but it is super
latively human. 1t is actually and
gravely proposed in one of the states
to legalize lynchings. That only evil
dences the horror of the crime for
which most lynchings are the penalty.
"To be entirely frank about it, the
respectable negroes-and there are
thousands and tens of thousands of
them-can do much to stop lynch
lngs by more vigorous and rigid
ostracism of those of their race gull
ty of outrages. Let the negroes
themselves make it hotter for the mon
sters who bring reproach on the
whole race. That will do more than
all the laws you can shake a stick at
to make lynching questionable.
We have not seen better or clear
er or more reasonable article on this
subject from any source, than this
editorial from the Washington Post
And we may remark in passing that
we have seen similar expressions from
number of Northern papers during
the past few months. 1t is pity
that some few papers here in the
South miSrcprcscnt their own people
ny expressing contrary views.
The lynching of negroes for assault
ing white women will never be stop
ped until the assaults are stopped.
The cause must be removed before
the effect can be removed
Let the negroes put Il stop to the
assaults, and then there will be no
more lynchihgs-for assaults or for
any other causes.--Anderson Mail.
Z We reprint the above because we
believe it is true. We do not believe
in lynching. Lynching for the one
crime will lead to lynching for lesser
crimes. OF that there can be no ques-
ton. But so long as negroes assault
sko l., H.