The Springfield herald., 1906-12-07
The Nearo Problem.

last year.
The Negro Problem.
The negro problem is given considera-
Bile attention, after calling attention to
the fact that no section of the country
is free from faults, and that no section
has occasion to jeer at the shortcomings
of any other section, he turns to the sub
ject of lynchings, and especially as ap-
piled to the negro OF the south. He says
the greatest existing cause for mob law
Is the preparation by the blacks OF the
crime of rape. crime which he terms
admonitions to the white people spoken
by Gov. Gambler of Georgia, some years
ago. and by Gov. Jelks. of Alabama. re-
Gently. and then says:
Every colored man should realize
that the worst enemy of his race is the
negro criminal, and above all the ne
gro criminal who commits the dread
ful crime of rape; and it should be felt
against the whole country, and against
the colored race in particular. for a
coiored man TO fail to help the officers
of the law in hunting down with all
possible earnestness and zeal every
such infamous offender. Moreover. in
always be punished with death. is
the case with murder; assault with in
tent TO commit rape should be made
capital crime. at least in the discretion
of the court; and provision should be
made bT which the punishment may
follow Immediately upon the heels of
the offence; while the trial should be
so conducted that the victim need not
be wantonly shamed while giving tes-
timony. and that the least possible
publicity shall be given to the details.
The members of the white race on
every lynching represents by just
much leoseninE OF the bands of civ
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 n hu-
man being without having his own
moral nature permanently lowered.
Every lynchlng means Just so much
deterioration
who have any knowledge OF II. and
therefore Just so much additional
trouble for the next generation of
let justice he both sure and swift:
and not the wild and crooked savagery
of mob
Capital and Labor.
on the subject of capital and labor
hatred to task and says TO preach
hatred to the rich man. as such.
to seek to mislead and intlame to mad
ness honest men whose lives hard
and who have not the kind of mental
training which will permit them to APP
preciate the danger in the doctrines
the body polite and to be false to every
worthy principle. and tradition OF Amer
subject he says:
The plain people who thlnk-the
ers with head or hand. the men to
whom American traditions are dear.
VINO lDNt their country ana Try 10 act
deccntly by their neighbors owe IL to
themselves to remember that the most
dana ging blow that can be given pop
ular government is to elect un-
worthy and sinister agitator on n
platform of violence and hypocrisy.
Whenever such an issue is raised in
this country nothing can be gained by
ninching from it, for in such case dem
ocracy Is itself on trial. popular self
government under republican forms is
itself trial The triumph OF the
mob is Just as evil a thing as the, tri-
umph of the plutocraCy. and to have
escaped one danger aVails nothing
whatever II we sucuumb to the other.
In the end the honest man.whcther rich
or poor who earns his own living and
tries to deal justly by his fellows. has
as much to fear from the insiucere
and unworthy demagog, promising
much and performing nothing. or else