The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-06
eIRMrNeHAM's HOMICIDE RECORD

BIRMINGHAM's HOMICIDE RECORD From the Memphis News-scimitar.
 Five homicides a week during the month of November is going some" in the matter of getting rid of human life. But that Is Birminghams record and the result was announced two days before the month was concluded.
 Twenty-one human beings violently done to death in the space of single month, in an enlightened community liv- ing under the aegis of the law and pre- sumably ample police protection is rec ord calculated to arouse the people to some sort of determined action.
 Birmingham, too, is a prohibition city and surely this remarkable criminal rec ord cannot be ascribed to the presence of intoxicants.
 But that there Is something wrong with Birmingham cannot be questioned; 1t Is an unavoidable inference from the state- ment that 21 persons met death at the hands of others, within the space of 30 days.
 Just what 1t Is, in the absence of familiarity with the details, 1t would be difficult to conclude.
 Whether the trouble lies with the law, the administration of 1t. lax vigilance on the part of the police, or a care less public sentiment, we cannot attempt to say.
 But the record Is indisputable evidence of the existence of an evil and of the necessity for remedy
 The people of Birmingham owe 1t to themselves to get to the bottom of the situation and, having found where the disease lies. to apply the cure.
 Birmingham cannot afford to establish a reputation for lawlessness and disre- gard for human life.-Atlanta Constitu- tion.
 we ignorant of the causes leading up to the remarkable crime record revealed. We are all sufferers. Atlanta, Memphis. New Orleans and the others. Doubtless the lack of respect for law; the epidemic of spirit of lawlessness, is the cause of much of the crime. Doubtless also the pistol-toting habit is largely respon- sible. Arm a blow-hard with pistol and he becomes a murderer. The convic tion has grown wide in the last few years that after a man kills he has only to hire a lawyer. give proof of some social responsibility and with the aid of the laws delay, come quit of all pen- alties. This failure of the courts in too frequent instances naturally Induces own hands and become the execu- tioners of their enemies. Our crim- inal statutes, or courts rules of pro- cedure. evidently need some overhaul ing. We should have courageous. capable and honest men as officers of the courts Quick and vigorous enforcement of the laws, the certain application of it's pen alties upon the guilty, the equally prompt exculpation of tho innocent, making the same laws apply to rich and poor alike, men socially high as well as those who have been held down in life's struggles, will create respect for law and order which does not now obtain. Let this be followed by strong sentiment. sup plemented with stringent laws against carrying concealed weapons of every kind and we will find fewer crimes upon our criminal calendars.
 In other words, we are in dire need of great moral uplift, which can only be had when our best people pull to- gether to protect the innocent, to pun ish the guilty and to make pistol toting and street staying contemptible as well as felonious.