The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-08-05
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

The Louisville Times, which edi-
torially urged Governor Wilson to
send troops into the Black Patch to
suppress night riding, and which was
one of the first to commend his
prompt, decisive action in quelling
the disturbances. until she military
turned the prisoners and evidence
over to the civil authorities, is get
ting ready for the next state COM
paign. as the following excerpt from
an editorial of yesterday indicates;
Except for one conviction. and
that BY a federal court, not one Of
the men who for two years substi-
tuted anarchy for law, in order 20
further tbeir economic interests. re-
ceived a prison sentence. The gov
ernor's mysteriously acquired inform
alton has remained in cold storage.
The fullness of his righteous wrath
waned when most II was expected to
wax fat and kick.
'Tn Lyon county the prospect OF
the belated trial of night rider
case. SET for hearing in Christian
county. has led to a return OF cordj-
tons fully as bad as any that existed
in that part of the state in the clos
ing months of 1907 and throughout
the year 1908. A brief review Of
these conditions and of the steps
taken by the governor to remedy
them discloses the fact that the ad-
ministration at Frankfort is cOntinu-
ing to meet with no better success in
causing the law to be observed, if
the observance OF II runs counter to
local prejudice"
To begin with. there has not been
a single conviction. trial or indiet-
ment of anybody in a federal court
for night riding; so the Times is OF
as to the facts in the case. And II
there had been. the fact would have
reflected on the state courts and pros
ecuting officers. not on the governor
He has nothing to do with selecting
juries, presenting evidence. prosecut-
ing the offenders or directing the pro-
cedure of the trial. He only sent
troops. when II became apparent that
local civil authorities could not. or
would not. cope with the situation,
and in many instances sent the
troops against the protest of the
county officials, but with the hearty
sanction of the Louisville Times.
In an editorial column in length,
we do not find one word Of censure
for the county civil authorities or
the commonwealth attorney or the
court of the Third judicial district in
which all the night rider outrages,
that went UNPUBLISHED, occurred.
Does II not seem remarkable TO the
Times that might riding should be
confined to the Third judicial dis
trict; that hundreds Of men should
ride scores of miles, take possession
of three cities at three different
times. burn immense warehouses.
shoot into homes and whip Kentucky
citizens, and not one Of them be con-
victed? Does not the very fact that
night riders found it necessary to
waylay and shoot Milton Oliver and
assasslnate Axiom Cooper. satisfy the
Times craving for the truth, that
Governor Wilson and his soldiers
did acquire evidence, which would
convict the night riders II II ever
went before an unprejudiced jury?
And does not the fact, that when the
militia is away from the Third judi
cial district. night riders feel free to
threaten and murder states wit
ness, Indicate a contempt for the
peace officers OF the Third judicial
district and Of the counties embraced
I'm the district, rather than a con-
tempt for the law as represented by
the state military?
Kentucky has reason TO be proud
of her soldiers. Texas and Pennsyl-
yania have rangers and mounted con-