The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-12-09

VI uCu COuLucul has D66n caused
by the comparative severity of the
sentence passed upon Morse, the New
York bank wrecker, and the mercy
shown to a similar offender in Vir-
ginia and to another in Georgia.
Morse was sentenced to fifteen
years in the penitentiary. OVERLY of
Virginia, also bank wrecker and
embezzler was acquitted, not be
cause there was any question what
ever as to his guilt, but because the
] jury knew him and his FAMILY anC
felt sorry for him ana them. T. W.
| Alexander Of Georgia, also a baus
Wrecker and embezzler, was SEN
fenced to six years, and, after serv-
I ing two years, he has now been par
dOned by Governor Smith. An At
lanta dispatch to the Augusta Curon-
! icle, in AleXander's home city. giving
/ the arguments on which the pardon
/ was based, read in part as follows
Beslues the circumstances of
the sentence, it was set forth
that the punishment had been
adequate, as two years for a
+ man OF Mr.. AleXander's refine
ment amounted to more than
twenty for the ordinary crimi-
nal; that his continued con
fnement will punish numbers
OF innocent and very reputable
relatives more than himself;
that he has been model in his
conduct, and is anxious to be-
gin life anew and reclaim his
lost prestige while still on the
bright side of the meridian.
Naturally the complete miscar.
riage of justice in Virginia and such
leniency IN Georgia, in contrast with
the salutary sentence of a similar
criminal in New York has caused
reflection among thoughtful people
and discussion in the newspapers
The Columbia IS. c. State, for ex.
ample says:
These three cases carry their
own moral-a moral which we
are sad to confess is not pleas
ant to the south. 1t may be be-
cause we have not the same re-
spect for the law, it may be be-
cause we all know one another
IN the south, and respect for the
refinement" Of folk or regard
for their feelings of their "rela-
tives frustates the enforce
ment Of the law, but at any rate
and for whatever cause the I'M
happy truth remains that we of
the south do not enforce the
law as do the people of the
north. TO our shame be it said,
that it is the negro or the mon
eyless white of the south that
gets justice. Persons that can
plead their refinement or can
plead their relatives" or
something else equally foreign
to the administration of equal
Justice get-WelI they get out of
Jail, or they never get into jail.
Speaking along the same line, the
81 charlotte On. O. Observer says:
With the exceptions paren-
thetically noted (negroes and
' poor Whites) it is only petty
offences against either person
or property which are reasona-
bly, certain Of punishment
: these and the various laws Sc
n Nerely restrictive of ordinary
5 personal liberty. And candor
Di compels us to say that this state
II OF affairs prevails in the south
{ to a very much greater degree
than in any other part of the
country. It's natural and inevi-
T. table accompaniment are lynch
g ing, night-riding, assertion of
the right to murder for real or
{ imaginary injuries, feudism and
3. other unconscious expressions
j OF contempt for law-enforce-
+ ment which concerns itself main
~ with small things. The blue
law is greatest the law against
>. murder is least. Like the scribes
! and Pharsees that were, too
many well-meaning people pay
1.-THE of mint, and anise, and
cummin, and have omitted the
Is Weighticst matters of the law,
= Judgment, mercy, and faith
Nowadays when we invoke Tboma
iJeffers0n's doctrine of equal riDb+