The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-01-16
NEG !; ! I
Sho uld he ,,F on
sible for negroes

! sible for negroes
y Governor. Northcn's, Plan for
~ Checking Crime at the South.
cites Other Cities Where 49,.
Editor CONSTITUTIONS: = Bve-y good
citizen who read Your. recent edtto1i.
.al, Our National Shame, y will give
your statements hearty and unquah.
ned endorsement and approval. IT IS
true, however, as YOU say, ',rhe story
is told ann reiterated In vain. Hi,
man life, remains as cheap. almost, as
~ the days Of early settlers when the
'shotgun%1w was about the only available
law, Georgia has oontrihutedt-we say
1T with deep regret-- her full quota to
the criminal clearing house of the na.
ton and the reading public passes 1T
over with scarce thought because it.
Is not unusual ''..| A.
The most startling statement in
your editorial is, not the general prev.
alence OF crime, but the absolute in.
difference and inaction of the reading
public because it is not unusual" -
: Is there not some way to" awaken
the public to tendencies of the times
and to such wise enactment as !. will
safeguard the lives of the people and
preserve our clvtlizaSion?, Can we
not begin by studying indipddualy in
stances and apply the remedies best
suited to correct their evils?''
Take the last criminal Incident that
happened In this local community. 1t
Is full of striking lessons and distinct
suggestions, for the, future -
-, AS | understand, 1T followed seven
shocking murders of the same kind,
without any change in our methods
for preventing this special crime.
In the killing Of Officer Manner the
first fact emphasized is, as we have
all the time known, there is a large
class Of vicious, lawless, just like
Johnson. We are liable to run against
them at any moment.
The second fact emphasized is as
we have all the time known there is a
large class of worthy, peaceable, law
abiding Negroes In the community,
splendidly represented by Barlow
Blackman, who. stand just as pro
nounced as the best white people for
law and order and who are ready to
help, at great risk, to maintain the
peace OF the community.
Now, let us hold to this latter fact
and use 1t to counterfeit the former
fact, by acting upon It, We must no
longer censufe all The Negroes for the
crimes Of the wicked of their race>any
more than we fcenshre. all the. white
people sf9rS the crimes you have emu
nefated ass sco 81 j }sed by. -laxleass
white men. We must exercise COM
mon sense in SUCH matters and be just
In Judgment and in action.
Another prominent fact developed by
the unfortunate Staying of Officer Man
Ter Is that, at least one Negro minis
ter preached to his people about the
horrors Of the crime and that his con-
gregatlon immediately took unani-
nous action deploling and condemn.
Ing the crime and commencing Black
man for. capturing and delivering a
man of their race into the hands OF
the officers of the law
1t is further to be noted that at DIFF
ferent places Of business, Negroes,
made collections Of money to be for
warded to the widow of the slain Off
Ger and to Blackman, showing their
appreciation of his conduct as repre-
senting. the best element of the Ne
groes of the community.
Are we now to see nothing in all
this that suggests action that will les
sen crime in the. city,, Surely not.
Why not study and apply, some
what, the methods of other peoples,
that have. been successful in the sup
preston of crime?
On the Island Of Malta, where, the
population Is composed Of different ma
tionaltties, between whom there are
strong prejudices and jealousies there
are several divisions Of the police as
signed separately, to the charge of one
of the three elements of the island
population. .....
In Hong Kong there is still a more
confused mixture Of elements and the
problem Is even more complicated.
There are several kinds Of police
English, Chinese.and Hindoo.
The English police have comprehen-
Sivc powers and exclusive control of
the whole. The other two classes Of
officers are authorized to arrest mem
bers. of the races to which they re-
spectively belong and not allowed to
interfere with others. Each. class Of
officers is held responsible for the con
duct of the people of his own race
This is what we must do to lessen