The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-10
ARMED OFFICERS ARE BAD EXAMPLES / FOR THE PEOPLE Attorney London Declares Armed Police Are a
 Menace INTERVIEWS WITH
 OTHER LAWYERS Logical Means of obviatne Pistol Totine-Arouse Public Sentiment. Enforce the Law Rieidly and Remove Judges Discretion.

Force the officer of the law to obey the law is the sentiment that prevails among the lawyers of Birmingham with reference to the pistol evil. Alex T. Lon don and a number of others insist that until the policemen and deputy sheriffs cease to carry pistols concealed and to set an example for crime there is no hope of enforcing the law
 MT. London had this to say Tt goes without saying that l am opposed to the habit of carrying pistols. The present law is ample. The difficulty is that. like many other of our laws, 1t is not en- forced.
 "This is due to the fact that there is no real public sentiment against carrying concealed weapons of any kind.
 we may take Birmingham as an illus tration. There is no exception in the concealed weapon law in favor of a deputy sheriff or a policeman, yet every one carries a concealed weapon. They set the example by concealing bnlies on their persons, and sometimes stilletos, and always have pistol. How can it be expected that the average citizen could have any respect for the law when he sees every day officers who were ap- pointed to enforce the law openly and fiagrantly violating it.
 "If the bill proposed by Senator Lusle should be adopted it seems to me it would be clearly violation of the consti- tutional right to bear arms, for while the legislature might prohibit the carry In op ad ma mo follows tha it can prohibit the citizen from having weapons of defense in his house.
 'If the churches will turn pisol-toters out and society will taboo them, you will find the custom cease just as drunkenness in public places has ceased for the same reasons.
 In my opinion it is the duty of the police commission of Birmingham, which can be prosecuted if 1t does not enforce the law. to issue an order to the police force instructing the policemen to wear their pistols outside if at all. This move would not only be setting the proper ex- ample. but. the policeman would not have to use the pistol one in ten times where he does now.
 Registration of Weapons.
 Vassar L. Allen another well-known attorney, said "The otner day in New York the police carried 5000 pistols out into the bay and dumped them over board following their laws of destruc- tion. The chief of police and the sheriff should be armed with the same law for confiscation of concealed weapons which are taken from persons arrested.
 "In my opinion, a system of registra- tion Is the best remedy for the state. In Austria, the government stamps num- Der on every pistol sold and keeps the Is used the owner can be found by the number.
 ''The law should require each purchaser to prove his good character with good witnesses and to register his pistol with the clerk.
 There is one step within the reach of the officials which should be carefully followed. Our solicitors and officers make a mistake by not separating the charges against a man arrested when pistol IS used They omit to docket a case of carrying a concealed weapon against man charged with assault with intent to murder, mansaughter, murder and of lenses of like character Often the man is acquitted of the violence when he could be easily convicted of carrying con- cealed weapon by his own evidence. Ab- solute uniformity in prosecuting to the fullest extent any fragrant violation of the concealed weapon law is the best rem edy for the frightfully increasing record of homicide in our state. However, the bench should use good judgment. Wherever d man is of questionable char acter they should burn him up as an example. If a man is in such position or required to perform such duties that his violation was necessity. he should be dealt with lightly"
 Attorney Felix Blackburn said: 'I have always held that the man who wishes to purchase a pistol should be required to get a license from the Probate Judge with 10 good citizens for witnesses of his char acter, and if any man is found without the license or with the weapon concealed, make the offense felony and give him the limit of the law in imprisonment. That was the substance of the bill which I pressed at the last session of the legis- lature. and think something should be done immediately to stop the number of murders in our community
 Arouse Public Sentiment.
 "The danger of special enactments, said James Weatherly, lis that they are apt to invade the personally liberty of the citizen and the constitution of the state The enforcement of the law against carry ing concealed weapons depends like every other law largely upon the officials with whom they are entrusted. Let them enforce them with the. utmost vlgor and as relentless as does Judge Feagin. The best security for the safety of the peo- pie is q careful prosecution of the criminal statutes"
 q approve of The Age-Herald's posi- tion," said Attorney E. K Campbell "The paper will do a great service if it will arouse public sentiment. I think the solution of the great pistol carrying evil lies with the grand juries and the judges, whose duty it should be to indict and infiict labor sentences upon every man caught with pistol concealed
 T agree with you" said Attorney Dryer who was in the office.
 Make the Imprisonment sure.' said At torney R. IT. Kerr -
 Attorney Joe C. Hall said. s.I .af fhe vin-