Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-09

Editor Journal: In the interests Of the people
of Georgia, l wish most respectfully to bring
to the notice of the legislature evil from
which they (the people) are constantly suffer
ing. We seldom take up a paper that does not
record the shooting Of some respectable citizen
by some worthless, irresponsible character whose
only asset is his ever ready pistol or rifle and
whose ability to change his name and his loca-
ton at moments notice makes his arrest and
punishment a difficult and questionable matter.
What facilitates the commission OF these
crimes is the fact that the worst class OF our
negro population never stir abroad, either for
work pleasure, without his pistol, and with
the negro the very knowledge that he Is armed
gives him defiant and aggressive manner. cal
culated TO produce trouble, and for the most
trivial cause or dispute his pistol is resorted to-
and some poor woman is left a widow, with
probably fatherless children to take care OF.
while the slayer simply changes his name and
skips to some other stamping ground.
1t goes without saying, that being always
armed. is the main cause Of the frequent nun
ders committed by negroes, and the people IT
Georgia have right TO look to their legisla-
ture to frame and pass bill that will at least
in a measure correct this evil. Allow me 20
respectfully suggest a law requiring that all
firearms be registered, with description OF
them, in the ordinary's office in each county,
and at the same time a bond be required of thu
owner (fcr say five hundred dollars), that sad
weapon win not be used unlawfully. or to the
detriment OF anyone.
Said bond to be subject TO the approval OF the
ordinary and the revision Of the grand jury. II
the failure Of anyone owning firearms to comply
with this law be made felony. and punishable
most salutary. There has been more than one
effort made to bring this subject to the favora-
BILE consideration OF the legislature, but IN each
instance the effort has been defeated by parties
who declared II unconstitutional, under the plea
that the constitution guaranteed to all men the
right TO carry arms.
This ground was certainly taken without duly
considering the purport of the measure proposed.
There is not ever suggestion Of deprlving any
one of this right proposed by this measure, but
surely the legislature Of Georgia has the right
to make laws which, while denying no one the
right to carry arms, will at the same time ito
some degree safeguard the lives Of her people
from the improper use of those arms by requlr-
ing a guarantee that the possessors OF them do
not use them unlawfully. Such law would
work a hardship to no one. All good citizens
would be quite willing to record rneir possession
of arms and would have no difficulty In giving
bond.
armed TO recording their possession Of them, and
giving the bond required by law, it would be
their own choice, and not that there was any
prohibition to their possessing them, and II par
ties were sent to the pententiary for not com
plying with this law It would not be for being
armed, but fer nCt carrying out the require
ments Of law respecting those arms.
One thing that emphasizes strongly the neces-
sity for some law that will meet this end. is
the with which anyone can now arm them
selves with dangerous weapons unfit for any
thing but killing. For instance. there is at
this time offered for sale. at the Insignificant
price of five dollars, a long range army repeat
ing rifle, guaranteed to kill at two thousand
yards
1t is evident that this price puts these guns
within the reach Of almost anyone, yet, scatter
them broadcast among our careless negro popula
tiOn. and with no bad intent. IL would be
quite element OF danger to have these long
range guns popping about the country indls-
OF course this letter is only intended to draw
attention TO a grave and growing evil with the
hope that the legislature in its superior wisdom
may see some way Of putting into more tangI
bic shape the crude ideas /. have put forward.
Most respectfully.
CAPT. TH0S. 6. WILLY, SR.