The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-12-07
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE:


contributing to campaign funds. He
also urges the passage Of the measure
comforting upon the government the
right Of appeal In criminal cases on
questions Of law. Continuing the
president says:
I cannot too strongly urge tho pas
sage of the bill in question. A failure
to pass 1t will result in seriously ham
pering the government In It's effort to
obtain justice, especially against
wealthy individuals or corporations
who do wrong, and may also prevent
the government from obtaining justice
for wagcworkcrs who are not thcm-
selves able effectively to contest n case
where the Judgment Of an inferior
court has been against them. I have
specifically In view Il recent decision
by Il district judge leaving railway
employees without remedy for VIOLA
tlon Of q certain so called labor statute
The Importance OF cnncting into law
the particular bill in question is fur
thcr Increased by the fact that the gov
crnmcnt has now definitely begun n
policy Of rcsorting to the criminal law
In those trust ami Interstate commerce
cases where such Il course offers Il rca-
sonahlc ch;HlcG Of success.
Proper Use Of InJuncti"ns.
Iii my last message | suggested the
enactment Of 4 law In connection with
the issuance Of inJunctions, attention
having been sharply drawn to the mat
ter by the demand that the right Of np-
plying iniunctions in labor cases
should be wholly abolished. 1t Is ut
least doubtful whether law abolish
ing altogether the use Of lnjunctlons
in such cases would stand the test Of
the courts, in which case. Of course, the
legislation would he ineffective. More
over, believe it would be wrong alto
gcthcr to prohibit the use Of injunc-
lions. 1t Is criminal to permit SYM
pathy for criminals to weaken our
hands in uph"lding the law, and If
men sock t. destroy life or property
by mob violence there should he no i'm
pairmcnt of the power of the courts TO
deal with them In the most summary
and effective way possible. But so
far rs possible the abuse Of the power
should he provided against hy some
such law MS advocated last year.
Against LynchinR.
call your attention and the attcn-
tion OF the nation to the prevalence OF
crime among VS. and. above nll to the
epidemic Of lynchiug and mob violence
that springs up now I'm one part Of our
country. now In another. Each sec
ton, north. south, east or west, has
It's own faults, No section can with
wisdom spend its time jccring ut the
faults of another section. II should be
busy trying to amend It's OWN short
cominSS. TO deal with the crime OF
corruption ii is necessary to have an
awakened public conscience and to
supplement this hy whatever lcgiSla-
tlon will add speed and certainty IN
the execution of the law. When We
deal with lynchmg even more is neccs-
snry. \ great many white men arc
lynchcd, hut the crime Is peculiarly
frequent I'm respect to black men. The
greatest existing cause Of lynchlng is
the preparation. especially by black
men, Of the hidrous crime Of rape, tho
most abnninahle in all the category
OF crimes. even worse than murder.
lawlcSSnrSS grows by what 1t feeds
upon. and when mobs begin to lynch
for rape they speedily extend the
sphere Of their operations and lynch
for many other kinds OF crimes, so that
two-thlrds OF the lynchings are not
for rape at all. while considerable
proportion Of the individuals lynched
arc Innocent Of all crime.
There Is hut one safe rule In dealing
with black men rs with white men,
tc hn In Irnf or 1,n
piled In dealing with rich men and
poor mcn-that Is. to treat each man,
whatever his color. his creed or his So
cial position. with even handed justice
on his real worth rs man. White
people owe 1t quite as much to them
selves rs to the colored race to treat
well the colored man who shows by
his life that he deserves such treatment.
There IS no question OF social equality
or negro domination involved.
In my Judgment. the crime Of rape
should always be punished with death,
rs Is the case with murder. Assault
with intent to commit rape should be
made a capital crime, Mt least In the
discretion OF the court. and provision
should be made by which the punish
mcnt may follow Immediately upon
the heels Of the olfcnse.
No more ShortSightcd policy can be
Imagined than In the fancicd interest
or one class to prevent the education
Of another class. The white man, If
he Is wise, will decline to allow the
negroes III mass to grow to man.
hood and womanhood without educa-
tion.