The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-11-15
The Leading
Southern Issue.


It is all well enough in the stereo-
typed conventional way for the South
prn press to "deplore" the murder OF
ex-senator Carmack, to eulogiZe him
as brilliant and able" to regret" the
circumstances that led to his "unfor-
tunate killing" to suspend judgment"
in the matter and indulge in other
tfne-honored generalities, but all this
falls short, far short Of duty in the
premises.
We of the South have been enslaved
Tor generations to the cruel, senseless
and savage system OF which Ed Car
mack was the latest victim. The South
prn press has denounced that system
IN general terms times without num-
Der; the Southern people almost uni
versally recognize 1t as a survival of
brutal, .brainless barbarism that is
breeding towards rather than brave
men and that Is doing US incalculalble
injury in our most vital interests; and
yet when we have a vivid. burning
text ike that Of Carmack's murder
thrust upon us, we fall back, with few
exceptions, in timid conservatism,
ancient conventions, pithlese plati
tudes and the old, old rut OF letting
things go as they are.
It Is inexcusable derelictfon on tine
part Of the Southern press. II thai
press was virile as it ought to be on
such an issue, when the alarm was
sent in that Carnack was murdered
Carmack. the most brilliant man in
all the South, and honest and brave
and true as he was briIliant,-ft would
have been an electric touch that would
have lighted UP the whole Southern
press, and the brutal, cowardly system
that murdered him would have been
done TO death under the fame of an
aroused public sentiment that would
have been satisfied with nothing less.
Our newspapers have missed great
opportunity and their weak, conyen-
uonal preachments on the subject fail
rs fat and devoid-of influence as the
prosy talk of a dull orator On live
issue that should tip his tongue with
IRE.
Bun IN the great metropolitan cen
tiers of the country, where they realize
the supreme necessity of preserving
civilization against the bloody work
Df the murderer, the killing of ex-Sen-
ator Carmack has produced differ
ent effect, and we reprint the follow
Ing editorial from the New York
World, a paper never ynfriendly to
the South, TO show what they think
about the Catmack tragedy up there.
1t is so exactly in line with what
The Journal said on the subject the
day after the killing that We feel sure
1T expresses the best sentiment of the
whole country on this issue:
A former Senator of the United
States, man of ability and public
value TO his state and the country
was murdered in cold blood in Nash
vile Monday. Unfortunately Mr.. Car
mack was himself armed, in expecta
ton OF such an attempt; but he was
not the aggresSor in the meeting and
apparently had little chance for his
life. taken uDawarCs while talking witt
lady ana shot at close range.
II would De idle TO seek exclamation
much less excuse. for the murder il
the harmless and facetious newspaper
article which preceded it, speaking o
the murderer's father as the :tgrea
diplomat of the political Zweibund
In this case. as in the killing OF Con
Ealez by Tillman's nephew in Soul
Carolina, a politician concerned in
fractional fight for Office and pOlitiea
power was ready to aSSassinate a mai
who stood in his way. It is no de
Tense to say that there was right am
wrong on both sides. There usual,
Is. But this method of settling politi
cal quarTels is brutal survival from
times when cave men fought for &C
coanuts with clubs. 1t is on a leye
with gang murders or Black Hant
teuds among the most degraded toush
or New York. With such SordfC
crimes neither personal honor no
sense or public duty has any conceiy
able connection. In the sequel of thi
tragedy the state OF Tennessee Is itsel
on trial. Its title to civilization il
clossded II such a murder goes IN,
punished upon the usual plea of 'sel1
AeIenSOo