New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1907-06-01
BACK 70 BARBARlSM.
BATON ROUGE MINISTER SAYS QUICK
EST PISTOL DETERMINES
SUPREMACY.

Baton Rouge, La, May 90
Rev r. X Means, Pastor Of the
FIRST Methodist Church, last Sun
day preached a sermon which, in
view OF the number Of mistrials in
the District Court, has been gen
orally commented upon and at
tracted a great deal of attention.
Mr.. Means chose for his subject
"The Measurements of Manhood
and in touching on this subject, he
said:
"These things that emphasize
receive additional emphasis from
recent events. In an adjoining
parish yearold boy has been
convicted of the murder of his
friend, and in the h 'spital ward of
our penitentiary there died few
days ago young man who would
not have been Il antil September,
who was brought here to escape a
mob and logged in Jail on the charge
of murder. In all sincerity | say
that the families of these young
men have my sympathy and the
young men my pity. A mans
heart is not right who does not
pity the young man who has shad-
owed his life by committing the
greatest of crimes. God gives life,
and he only has a right to take it
away, and that man who assumes
this prerogative has touched the
last depth of crime.
"We sometimes blame young
men for their ruin when we ought
to blame tho circumstances that
ruined them. Society is quick to
punish certain forms of murder.
Let negro kill white man, or
assault white woman, and mob
gets to him with rope a long
time before the Sheriff arrives with
his handouts. But for quarter
of a century it has always been the
case that when q white man kills
another, the lawyers plead, the
women weep aud the jurors de-
clare: 'One man is already dead
what is the use in killing anotheri'
And after a number Of months in
prison the door is opened and the
murderer is out. Does not this
fact teach young men that they can
murder without fear OF punish
mentf Dozens OF times have
heard men in this city, men who
may be called for jury duty at any
term of court, say, you cannot
convict negro OF murder in this
parish IL some influential white
mau is interested in him, and you
cannot convict white man OF mur-
der under any circumstances.
Does not this sort of talk cheaper
human life and make murderers
even Of boysf
"We are on the march back to a
state of barbarism. The sharpest
knife, the strongest arm, the quick
est pistol determines the suprem.
acy. and the next step Is q mob
that is Judge, jury aud executive
officer. The man who carries a
deadly weapon, does it either be-
cause he feels unsafe or because he
intends to use it. If he carries IL
because he feels unsafe, he had
better change his associates. If
he intends to use his weapon he is
criminal. And in either case hS
will either kill or get killed. y6r
that man who stands at the jddg-
ment bar of God with the bpod of
his fellow on his hands thshuwrit-
ten law is nc plea. Tb/ written
law declares: No muderer hath
eternal life. Withipthe past few
weeks, at never bfore, the old
Bible words ring at. Her house
is the way to hA going down to
the chambers 4 death. The bloody
and deceitfp/ man shall not live
one half Ais days Flee from
the wr9fto syune come. .,.--Pioayune.
: -Ofc & c Swpe4 n e.