The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1906-09-05
NEWSPAPERS AND MOB RULE.
The Richmond (va.) Time Dispatch
Prints Some Raps Against ew York
~ City DO Things" Newspapers.

On July Oath a citizen refused to
paysa second fare to the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit company, and was
thereupon arrested by the State of
Now York for creating disturb.
ance. When the case was brought
before Justice Gaynor, the defend.
ant was paroled, ard w days later
when the case was tried, the coun~
sci for the company alleged that
the whole affair was a trick gotten
up to depress the stock of that
company. However, on Saturday,
the 28th, Just before the heavy
rush for Sunday began, Judge
Gaynor, one Of the candidates for
the democratic nomination for
Governor, handed down a decision,
holding the party who had been
arrested not guilty. It will be
observed that the conflict was be-
tween the State and tho individuals
for law breaking, aud that the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit company
was not in court at all. Neverthe.
loss Judge Gaynor undertook to
give a lecture on double fares, and
stated the perfectly obvious propo-
sition that "a public service-cor-
poration is no more entitled to
exact fee Or charge in excess of
that prescribed by law than 10
public officer" But it has never
been decided by any competent
tribunal that the double fare was
excessive in point of law. AS soon
as this decision was handed down,
the cheap journals of New York,
especially those that are under tho
ownership or management of Will
liam r. Hearst, urged the people
to take the law in their own hands
and stand up tor their rights, with
the result, says the New York
Herald, that one young woman
lost her life, Il dozen women and
girls were sent to the hospitals,
forty men arc in Jail, the traffic of
the entire borough Of Brooklyn
b. has been deranged, business at
Conoy Island has been injured,
suffering has been imposed upon
Thousands Of peaceful passengers
, willing to pay their fare, other
thousands have been deferred from
enjoying a visit to the beach, hun
dreds of men have voluntarily en-
dured discomfort, if not actual
misery, in obedience to what they
fnncied was their duty, and the
good name Of the city has dragged
in the mire.
Commenting on this condition,
the News. Leader, of this city, says
that if similar condition had
arisen in Virginia and the news
papers had urged the public to
take the law in It's own hands q nd
resist payment of the second fare
to the extent of manslaughter, GIVE
-. can imagine that q few solemn and
scowling bar.room loafers, sup,
ported by their wives and
daughters, would thump theil
dirty fists on the bar counters ano
say, 'That's the stuff Some ire
sponsible boys and young men, our
. of jobs or holding on by thoir eye.
lids, because their services are
grudging or careless and unsatis
factory, would applaud enthuslas,
tically. Some has~beens or disap.
pointed mon and some persons
with ambitions larger than they
are willing to work to or capable
Of, would be secretly or openly
pleased. The great mass of sober
citizens. tho clerk, salesman, mo
chanic, merchant, wage-earner 0,
wage-payer, going quietly from
work to their homes and families
with the average mans share 0
happiness and sorrow, sense ant
weakness, troubles and hopes
comforts and annoyances, woul,
laugh and say, This man is a fool
does he want us to set ourselves n
to decide tho law who're our Judge
!, differ2' ii %.. 80
"Yet New York newspapers hav
given just that kind Of advice. an,
have had New York public men
politicians and lawyers, to suppor
and sanction them. With incer
diary artielea and 11ttoro,ooo ~, -,