The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1906-12-04

white man suspected Of crime. Every
Christian patriot in America needs to
lift up his voice in loud and eternal
protest against the mob spirit that is
threatening the integrity Of this re-
public" Governor Jelks of Alabama
has recently spoken as follows: "The
lynching Of any person for whatever
crime is inexcusable anywhere. It is
defiance Of orderly government But
the killing of innocent people under
any provocation is infinitely more hor-
fible. and yet innocent people are like
~ to die when mob's terrible lust is
once aroused. The lesson is this: No
good citizen can afford to countenance
a defiance Of the statutes, no matter
what the provocation. The innocent
frequently suffer and, it is my obser-
walton, more usually suffer than the
guilty. The white people Of the south
indict the whole colored race on the
ground that even the better elements
lend no assistance whatever in ferret
ing out criminals of their own color
The respectable colored people must
learn not to harbor their criminals, but
to assist the officers in bringing them
to justice. This is the larger crime
and it provokes such atrocious offenses
as the one at Atlanta. The two races
can never get on until there is an IN
60rcfa n6inp tho 81 hot +o
make common cause with the law
abiding against criminals Of any color"
Treat Each Man Justly.
Moreover, where any crime commit
ted by member Of one race against a
member Of another race is avenged in
such fashion that 1t seems as if not
the individual criminal, but the whole
race, is attacked the result is to exas-
perate to the highest degree race feel
ing. There is but one safe rule in deal
ing with black men as with white men;
1t is the same rule that must be ap-
piled in dealing with rich men and poor
men-that is, to treat each man. what
ever his color, his creed or his social
position, with even handed justice on
his real worth as man. White peo-
pie owe it quite as much to themselves
as to the colored race to treat we'll
the colored man who shows by his life
that he deserves such treatment, for it
is surely the highest wisdom to en-
courage in the colored race all those
individuals who are honest, industri-
GUS, law abiding, and who therefore
make good and safe neighbors and cit
| liens. Reward or punish the individ-
ual on his merits as an Individual
Evil will surely come in the end to
both races If we substitute for this
just rule the habit of treating all the
members of the race, good and bad,
alike. There is no question of social
equality or negro domination" in
volved, only the question of relentless
~ Furnishing bad men and of securing
to the good man the right to bis life,
his liberty and the pursuit of his happi-
ness as his own qualities of heart, head
and hand enable him to achieve it.
Every colored man should realize that
| the worst enemy of his race is the ne
gro criminal, and, above all. the negro
criminal who commits the dreadful
crime of rape, and it should be felt
as in the highest degree an offense
against the whole country and against
the colored race in particular for q
colored man to fail to help the officers
of the law in hunting down with all
possible earnestness and zeal every
such infamouSNoffender. Moreover, in
my judgment, the crime Of rape should
always be punished with death, as is
the case with murder. Assault with
intent to commit rape should be made
capital crime. at least in the discre-
ton of the court, and provision should
be made by which the punishment may
follow Immediately upon the heels Of
the offense, while the trial should be
so conducted that the victim need not
be wantonly shamed while giving testi-
mony and that the least possible pub
licity shall be given to the details.
The members Of the white race, on
the other hand, should understand that
every lynching represents by just so
much loosening of the bands Of civ
ilization; that the spirit of lynching
inevitably throws into prominence in
the community all the foul and evil
creatures who dwell therein. No man
can take part in the torture of hui
man being without having his own
moral nature permanently lowered.
Every lynching means just so much
moral deterioration in all the children
who have any knowledge Of it and
therefore just so much additional trou-
BILE for the next generation of Ameri-
cans. ..... .-.-,.- il.
Let justice be both sure and swift,
but let it be justice under the law and
not the wild and crooked savagery Of
mob. --,A. ~. -
Negro Should Be Educated. 10
There is another matter which has a
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