The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-03-31
LIE LAW SHOULD nE ENFoRcEp

] HE LAW SHOULD BE ENFOHC I'D.
While we read OF the officials who
are given the power to enforce law
making the prairies slnge with their
efforts. and all applaud those who
stand for the fulfillment OF duty, The
Leader must state, in all fairness and
without regard to amy particular case,
that the juries. or someone in this
state. since the dawn Of our sovereign
". have sorely failed 10 carry out duty
stern. but seldom bad fcr the com
mon veal
The taking of human life Is held too
cheaply in several parts OF the state.
and that tendency will do the state Of
Oklahoma more harm than all other
things combined
II Is well enough to boast OF our
progress, and the strides we are maxi
ling for the betterment of ourselves,
but II II be possible for men to as
|sault and kin each other. then all Of
our other attainments amount TO moth
ling, weighed in the proper scales Of
civilization
The Leader understands that there
are instances in which a man may be
pardoned for taking the life of an
other; the law Of self-defense Is held
inviolate In all lands. and the protec-
tion of those loved ones afford an ex-
ample wherein II is possible for the
man killing to be In sense justified,
but the modern excuses would be less
fashionable were some afflicted with
brain-storms and dementia hanged
higher than kites fly.
Many good men who would not. un-
less agitated, iniure the smallest ami
NAL on slight provocation send a soul
TO eternity The Leader recognizes Il
is hard to punish those men, but the
good of the many overrides the whim
Of the few, and until the greatest safe
guards surround life, we will not and
can not become O great state. Men
are turned loose for murder IN many
states, and many are the reasons
given, but he who takes that which he
can not return, commits crime
against society that can not be atoned
for under any condition.
The Leader knows fun well that Il
is not always for the good OF a state 20
call attention 10 the shortcomings of
A single community, and for that rea-
son no newspaper would name a com.
munit% even for illustration. But
there have been such flagrant efforts
to promote the happiness OF those who
are living with the stain of a brother
humans blood on their brows, that It
becomes glarlng necessity TO speak
Iout
And The Leader does so with a full
retaliation OF the fact that many dis
agree with the policy. The turning
loose OF men who have committed the
lcrime OF crimes destroys confidepce In
the stability OF a community; II re.
fleets upon the character of the other
numerous citizens OF that community
all guiltless OF any wrong. even by IN.
tent; IL creates the fearlessness IN
svil purposed men who know too well
the better class will not start the
hanging policy. through fear OF the
plan becoming general, and, last. and
greatest Of all. the community charged
with being weak and cowardly IN the
punishment OF crime becomes the sore
spot IN the county state or nation
md Is given over TO the ridicule and
abuse OF the multitude. few stoppins
10 reflect that for the one doing WRONG
and the few refusing TO punish, for
laSNuutn thcIt must De thdt terrible
stigma upon the place
For instance. take the state Of Ar
kansas. For fifty years the jokers OF
the great press have declared there
was neither fear OF God or man IN
Arkansas, and there Is not a great in
surance company IN these United
States that will lend a dollar OF the
immense trust funds on Arkansas
property. because OF the claim there
Is no protection 10 cause them 70 col
lect, and that the courts really Laughed
murder cases out OF court And few
years ago federal Judge, al IT Smith
acting as Judge over the Indian Terri
tory, hanged so many men In tha
city that Il became proverbial. and I,
this good day the people further cas-
believe that Ft. Smith Is the one plac,
where the sunshine Of justice sit
smiling and ready 20 cover the cas-,
li whose calls for her decisions
In the name OF humanity, justice
civic protection and for the preserya
don OF the good name OK the state
every newspaper should take up IN,
cudgel aud demand that those VIII,
take human life pay with the same
awful taiesman.
With murder lists long enough 4
cover the dockeis for one or tW,
pages. we find that the press bring
40 news of The severe penalty bein.
given. And yet this is the state wherl
man would be sent 10 IAN for M
giving 81 liquor 70 dying soldier
wounded in the defense Of the state. o
one poor deRu Ignorant and bliFhte.
ihy diefipaflon may b. sent 10 jail 10