Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-03-05
rlonterey, Va. f riday. MATS, 1909
THE PISTOL HABIT.

tnE fIo}UL NADil.
A fruitful theme for periodic dis
cussion is the carrying of pistols,
which is probably unlawful in every
state in the union, and yet the law
on the subject seems to have little
effect in the way of breaking pthe
practice. Always new schemes are
being discussed with the object IN
view. We believe very few people
are influenced to leave off the habit
of carrying weapons of some sort
simply because it is against the law,
no matter what the penalty, and we
doubt if thelaws on the subject have
had much influence in reducing the
number of unlawful weapons carn-
ed, though of course the influence
of the laws amounts to something.
In our opinion the abandonment
of the habit of carrying murderous
weapons is due to a general moral
growth of the community, and not
to the fear of punishment; and
further improvement in this, as in
most matters of like character,
must come, we believe, from a
healthy growth of public opinion
and public morals.
Instead. therefore, of preaching
severe laws and more drastic prose
cutions, what we need to do is to
appeal for higher citizenship, a
higher life, greater respect for the
rights and feelings Of ot lhen fsseofRi fffci
we fffftdsst preach that the greatest
protection to the individual comes
from reliance on the strong arm of
the law and not on ones own strong
arm. Growth of this feeling strength
ems the law and strengthens the in
dividual. 1t is slow but it is sure,
and it should be relied on for the
eradication of all kinds of lawless-
ness. We do not mean to say that
we should not have laws and should
not enforce them; we should enforce
them, but we cannot enforce them
without the moral support of the
community and it's steady growth
in character Staunton Daily News
This is mighty sensible and sea-
sonable talk. 1t is difficult to over
estimate the influence and strength
of public opinion" or public SEN
timent.
Public sentiment has controlled
the saloon question at Monterey
in fact, has kept the county dry,
for more than two decades, only |
one or two applicants having the
courage to face it, and each one be-
ing ANONYMOUSLY routed.
The force is no less potent along
other lines. If it is the custom of a
community to have insults and
wrongs resented and differences set
tied by resort to pistols, clubs and
stones, most of them will be settled
that way; if, on the other hand, the
fact be recognized that the bravest
and most COURAGEOUS man is the one
who can muster self-contral and
curb his temper in the face of ugly,
nurder-provoking assaults, and if
'ourts and juries would vindicate
md give such men redress, there
would no longer be a demand for
wo pistol pockets in every pair of !
The Dispatch article points
Ike an index finger, to some of the :;
laring, present-day inconsistencies,
here are men in every community
often they can be counted on the !,
myers of one hand-but there are :.
ome who are capable of self-con- 6
rol under the most trying provoca- +,
ons. How few are ready to COM
lend them for it! If some fellow y
ais him ugly names, he branded
coward unlesshe shoots or knocks ;
i'm down, and if he does the latter, '
e is imprisoned or fined. =
Where is there community that
as not had a case something like
lis: A, a quiet, inoffensive citi- A
IN has difference of some sort v
erhaps growing out of business n
or misunderstanding - .
18th B, who is quarelsome, high n :
mpered and abusive. Prompted r
Y manly, moral feelings, A offers b
} personal violence, though we'll D
served, and appeals to the law II
+ redress and satisfaction. His )
'urse is belittled, his case laughed W
1t of court, and the verdict of the n
ry for zone cent" is a grosser in G.
1t and more notifying to him 81
an the ugly names by which his &