The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-10-09
fUMAN lift Is 100 CHAP.


recent date contains the following
timely editorial. shich We reproduce
to indorse the sentiments 50 well
expressed,
The killing 4 stoffce Inspector
FItz rersla. in Clnssn Taesitv af;er-
noon by " A Srrsby. clerk 10 The
posutIice Of that town, II the repar's
that have rached US Of the tragedy
arr trup. ~as A crgsl and c1xardjy
murder that emphasizes agsln tie
deporable honGjil disposition
that hads too frequent manifesto
tg1n. n4t aa1T ia Mississippi, hai
elsewhere in Inc Jast~i States Ii
5 nle that ia 10 civilized eal2trT
oa earth, is there saosa - little
esgaet 70. human life IS obtains N
this ooa1try nowhere is iae hn2l-
cl6sl rxaor2 No CREST ard BOO ae-e
has The law 80 little influence 70
stay the nur3ero1s hand 1t Is the
sore spot on the body social and
polite and il deserves attention thai
it may be cured II possible 1t is 8
matter for each individual stste to
attend to. and Mississippi should
marshall all Of her resources to dis
cover and apply q cure,
Hur2sn life il too cheap IN Ms
q as ri A-3 Il s-s so be growing
gheszec g LIE s TIE -espon-
aaI3r 5r @s condition
IS ls1 nc .ia c,z.x 1t sss snG-as 81
@.e asss. wf E1a:2 r. --ers Grade
E1G %ar .s Ese -e14tT x tr
s--res Eli 11a 1r5sc PASS
&c as E &c LIZ xa 2Ea~t
sw s a5c 70 -y &s
.z-rcaasr u a<s b. c
-c4s e = 1zg
s GO d, eA- Ne psz-e o-r-
=.sres z 2Gr lE Zg-sl 2G3
sa2s III a people W
pa s band ssear az sAs petty
;Aas w5sA res-tass 5=a. ard dill
eeE& bus. somehow, the killings
60 GO, multiplying instead q being
diminished by or TirtpoQs mani
testa.5ans, AMI Cur garments reek
sith the hidaoas bioodstain.
There doubtless Is some ground
for the Indictment Of the courts in
this matter the loop~holes Of The
law through which the guilty escape
punishment are many and various,
the exaltation OF the letter Of the
law above its spirit is 3 mischlevous
practice; but the fault does not all
lie there, 1t lies largely in public
opinion that refuses to- recognize
tAe aIuiasiTuGs SIN Ut Iaktng nuITiaE
life. We have not the adherence
OF that kind Of crime that is needfu'
to the suppression Of it; society does
not seem To realize the enormity b
it, and the acquitted murderer goes
his accustomed way, without any
Cain brand upon his brow.
Human life is too cheap, in Mis-
sissippi, because public opinion has
made it so. Men feel called upor
to exact the death penalty for any
sort Of grievance, and the rightfully
resentful blow with the fist is ans
wered, too often, with the pisto.
shot. Quarrels arise over t%rifles, al
insult is passed it is properly
resented, with a blow, and tragedy
follows. The slayer is tried anG
acquitted, and society finds no fault
with the result; the incident is for,
gotten until it bears its Legitimate
fruit in another homicide which also
produces its progeny of like kind.
The courts can dc much to correc,
this evil and remove this stigma
from the good name of the state,
but society, public opinion, can dc
infinitely more in awakening the
public conscience to a recognition
OF the monstrous character of the
homicidal crime and demanding the
punishment of the murderer, not
only in the courts, but also at
society's bar"