Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-05
The Law Is Best.

The great, popular interest Ill Ile
night rider trials at Union City, Tenn,
is a most significant circumstance.
Most of the regular newspaper read
ers turn to the Union City date lines
the first thing, and many people who
seldom care for the daily papers are
going to them to keep up with the de-
tails of this trial.
Although the actuating incentives to
the interest Of the people are varied
being different in the case of different
individuals, it is a source of satisfac-
ton and qualification to know that
there Is such a general, almost unani.
nous concern about this matter.
Behind the particular incident out
of which this sensational trial has
grown, there is a story of injustice that
appeals to a sense Of fairness that Is,
happily, innate with i.~.jt people. We
refer to the allegation that the Reelfoot
Lake and country surrounding were
once common property, and that they
are alleged to have become COW
cred into the possession of men OF
means, influence and power, by more
or less dubious means, to the great
injury Of the poor people who had been
enjoying the hunting and fishing in
common for generations. AS to wheth-
er this is true or not, we do not know;
but we can readily understand how,
assuming that it is true, there are many
people who would naturally allow their
sympathies to side with the night ri
ders, claiming that there was no other
way for them to regain their rights
than by resorting to violence.
We are free to admit that such a
situation looks hard, that ii is hard;
but at the same time, the remedy does
not lie in violence. Two wrongs dc
not make a right and violence can ac-
cOmplish no good under any circum-
stances.
Let us suppose, for instance, that
the night riders had become su-
preme in this locality. OF course, any
body can understand that this organi-
zation did not include the entire pop
ulation. The reader Of the simplest and
most limited range of observation and
experience, knows that among the in
habitants of this country are many who
could not be prevailed on to be night
riders, as we'll as many who could not
secure admission into the organization
if they desired. The band therefore,
was composed of men naturally sour
and lawlesS, and of men who have been
coerced through fear of personal harm
to affiliate with them. The dominating
spirit in the band is lawless. 1t could
not be otherwise Then how easy 1t
is to see the spread Of terrorism not
only to the members in the COM
munity; but TO the weaker members
of the band. Is it not reasonable to
suppose that the lawless leaders, after
having wreaked vengeance and punish
ment on obnoxious interests and indi-
viduals, who, all considered to be proper
objects of vengeance and punishment,
would carry their arrogant authority to
the qualification of personal dislikes,
and in the promotion Of their own ag-
grandizement? This seems perfectly
clear to us and we are unable to see
how such a band could hope to estab-
lish security even for its own members.
But that is not all. Note the prog
ress of this trial. 1t is perfectly clear
that the defense has been found to re-
sort to the most fragrant perjury, and
even with that the truth cannot be
hid. Some of the defendants have
turned states evidence. In some in
stances, no doubt. they have been in-
nuenced by pusillanimity, in others by
conscienCes that have awakened their
real manhood. And with it all there
is absolutely no doubt of the guilt Of
the accused.
What the jury is going to do it is
to say. If twelve men can