The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-06-09
DANISH THE PISTOL.

Jackson News.
A declaration of war AGAINST IN,
pistol toter was contained in the an
nual address delivered at the Millsap,
College commencement exercises this
morning by Hon. c. II. Alexander. OF
this city, former president of the Mis-
sissippi Bar Association.
The subject of Mr. Alexander's adj.
dress was "The Majesty of the Law.
and it was in many respects a notable
utterance, worthy to be classed as a
great state paper He touched upon
many vital subjects, but his strongest
and most significant declaration was
that pistols should be declared con.
traband of war, and statute enacted
that will not only prohibit their sale
IN this state, but that will prohibit
their shipment into the state.
The declaration of Mr.. Alexander
is in line with a resolution adopted
at the recent annual convention of the
Mississippi Bar Association at West
Point, but he goes more deeply into
the subject, and shows that the pistol
toting habit is Mississippi's most pro-
life source of crime, blot on the fair
name of our state, and that the time
is at hand when radical steps must be
taken for its suppression.
Mr.. Alexander's prominence in the
legal profession gives added weight
to his assertion that the shipment of
pistols into the state can be prohibited
without conflict with the interstate
commerce laws. He believes hat the
Federal tribunals, in chse a statute
of this character is enacted and sub
jected to legal test, will hold that such
law is within the police powers of a
commonwealth, for the safety and pro-
lection of the lives of it's citizens.
The strong declaration from Mr.. AL |
exander, SO closely following the ac.
ton of the Mississippi Bar Association
in recommending that the manufac-
ture, importation, transportation, sale
and possession of pistols be prohib-
tied by statute, means that a deter
mined and thoroughly organized move
ment will be launched to induce the
legislature to enact the desired law.
The various civic bodies and
church organizations throughout the
state will be asked to take up the sub
ect, adopt memorials addressed to the
lawmakers, and when the legislature
meets in January it is hoped to have
public sentiment SO thoroughly
lroused that there will be practically ,
10 opposition to the passage of the
ILL.,
The resolution presented to the Mi. {
issippi Bar Association was adopted f
lmost without a dissenting voice. C
nd each and every legal phase of the d
uestion was thoroughly considered Il
Y the ablest members of The profess a
ion in this state. a
In his address at the Millsaps chan.
today Mr.. Alexander went thorough "
into the subject. He declared thai ri
lie men who wrote into our constitu. d
On that the people should have the l.
ght to carry arms in self-defense
veg contemplated the establishment
pistoltoting as a popular custom;
at the pistol is not a legitimate pl
apon of defense; that it is unsuted on
war, untitled for game, and its be
il and only target is the human an
lrt; that the man who carries Gu
tol is not only a violator of the law, knt
a coward at heart, for he learns tar
ely on his weapon and not on his req
lly courage and physical power of Hal
defense; that the habit has grown ally
arming proportions in Mississippi and
gives us an unenviable name Their
ad when the press dispatches are the
te with stories of bloody tragedies strel
ed In the commonwealth. ton
VIII De impossible to Danish law work
9ss in the state. or preserve any faith
ire of law and order, says Mr. offer
nder, until the pistol is ban case
The dignity of law cannot be list o.
we'd, or its supremacy main Add
unless We enact a statute Of
aracter and see to 1t that it is Sold
enforced. TAX,
MS crusade SO auspiciously stipati,