The new South-news., 1908-05-30

saIety OF Its homes, the happ,ncs OF
its citizens. is determined by the
enactment Of wise and wholesome
laws and their strict enforcement.
Mississippi has upon her statute
books laws that are just and equit-
able, proposed. considered and en-
acted by men who are in close SYM
patty With the masses Of the people
II there be any exceptions to this
rule, they are few and far between.
and can be rcmedicd by proper CT
fort These laws should be strictly
and impartially enforced. The well
fare Of the country demands it. II
there i bad one on the books, re-
peal 1t in the proper manner and not
by non-enforcement. This must, be
made the banner state for law and
order in the Union. Such a. end
can only be accomplished by the en-
actment of just aud equitable laws
and their strict and impartial en-
forcement.
The infraction of slightly impor-
tant law leads to grsver orrenses.
Citizens who wink one eye at . small
cffense will sooner OF later be call
ed upon to so blind when more Sc
rious crime has BEEN committed. Ken
lucky is experiencing this right now
A movement to Illegally right a
wrong has developed into reign
of anarchy and lawlessncss. The
sympathy of the world was with the
night riders to begin with, but now
stands appalled, at the barborous acts
perpetratcd and the reckless iisre-
gard for law and authority cvidenc-
ed. White cap organizations in Mis-
sissippi were formed to correct GER
tain evils, more by persuasion and
influence than by the preparation
of crime, and often numbered in
their ranks many good and true men
The commission of slight offcnsc
against the law without punishment
encouraged more serious ones; law
less characters crcpt into the ranks
and the general result has been cru
city, arson, murder. There is not
man in Mississippi who does not
know Of these consequences.
The causes that justified the ola
reconstruction Ku-Klux cannot prop
erly be pleaded in the cases. men
toned. This is a case of reighbor
against neighbor, friend against
friend, son against father or brother
against brother. In the former, it
wss the white people of the South
against an arrogant race arbitrarily
given authority over them and en-
cpuragad' 10 deeds of, lawlcssness by
unreliable and mcrccnary parties
The night riders began as an organ
ization to protect tobacco growers
against the merciless tobacco trust
The result was satisfactory for
time, but with the admission Of law
less characters into their ranks and
emboldcned by immunity from pun
ishment, has resulted in a body that
has taken upon itself the correction
of all grievances, real and imaginary
ana does not hesitate to commit any
crime to carry out its purpose, pro-
ducing a reign of terror that is caus-
ing hundreds Of law-abiding citizens
to desert their homes ard flee to
places of safety. In many instances
the savings Of lifetime Of toll and
deprivation has been swept away in
night, the farmer not only losing
his barn and outhcuses, but his hor1,
and not infrequently his life.
God forbid that the good ola state
Of Mississippi shall ever experience
such. The few instances Of such a
character which have happened with
in her bounds sould prove object les
sons to guide our people clear Of such
breakers in the future. Ten years
ago party Of good men in Union
county attempted to correct an error
IN young man Of the neighborhood
and the horrible outcome of that ex-
pediation should prove warning
against q repetition Of the act. Two
good citizens dead and . dozen FAM
lilies heartbroken. The sad scenes in
and around the Federal court build
ing at Jackson only a short while ago
when hundreds Of good citizens Of
Franklin county were before that au-
gust tribunal for somethiny tnat was
begun for = purpose that seemeS-to
them just and right, but before it
was ended hnman life had been sac
rificed and dozens OF homes we're
darkened with = cloud Of sorrow. The
reign OF terror in a portion Of Law
renee Tor a time early this gear and
the murder Of good man and warn
ing OF others, as we'll a. . number
Of other isolated instances that might
be named, should prove the guide
boards to steer our people clear Of