The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-05-23

convened in special session today, and
Judge Paul B. Johnson delivered his
first charge to the grand jury.
Read that charge.
And then as a good citizen deter
mine upon two things:
First, that you will obey the law of
the. land; the law of your land; the
law of the land which gives you free
dom, and protects your person and
property; the law, without which
there would be no protection to per-
son or to property.
Second, that you will help to en-
force that law; by endorsing all off
GERS who do their duty faithfully and
impartially, and by condemning all
who neglect their duty by any par
tial enforcement of the law.
1t is an able charge, and brave
one. and a comprehensive one, and if
the grand jury will do their duty as
faithfully as the Judge has done his;
and If the trial juries will do their
duty, and the court officers do theirs,
there will grow up at once in this
community a wholesome, healthy re-
4 ect for Law that will make the en-
fcement of all laws more easy and
ore effective and more impartial.
LAW ENFORCEMENT: THAT
81 Eould be the shibboleth of this mu-
Icipal campaign.
Following are a few excerpts from
jndge Johnson's charge:
~ u 10 upon the enforcement of the
NV that our government and society
Gepends for its existence.
IA The laws are no better than the
people want them to be, and can be
no better enforced. The predominant
evil before US today is the lack Of
respect and reference for the law, and
20 long as we have lack of reverence
for the law, just so long the enforce
ment Of the law will be in keeping
with the sentiment Of the people.
One Of the many reasons for the
lack Of respect for the law is the fire.
quent miscarriages of the law, and
Just so long as this exists we will
have lack Of respect for the law,
and 1t will exist until the courts and
Juries begin to nete out even-handed
Justice.
81 There is too much sympathy shown
the criminals of this country, and the
courts and juries can never success
FULLY enforce the law, until there is
Han awakening Of the public con-
science.
first direct your attention to the
law relating to the unlawful carrying
Of concealed weapons. When
man makes up his mind to carry a
pistol, the moment he puts it in his
pocket, just that moment he plants
the seeds Of murder in his heart and
occasion needs but stir them and
they will develop into a full grown
crime. In Chicago, during the year
1908, there were 1873 murders commit
ted, while in London, a city many
times larger, there were only "a; and
the reason, largely, for this difference,
.is that in London the use of the pistol,
owen by policemen, is prohibited.
call your attention to the law on |
gambling. y am informed that gam
bling in this city Is very common; that
the people gamble on the ball games,
billiards, cards and many other
chances. This Is a practice that
breeds dishonesty and II pursued long
enough will lead to ruin.
It is violation Of the law to raf-
he, yet 1t Is constantly violated In this
city. You should indict everyone who
Engages in this business.
at is violation of the law to sell
whisky anywhere In Mississippi, yet,
am told that this law is daily and
Iasrantiy violated In this city. ! re-
lard the blind tiger as the worst
ririnaI we have to deal with, for he +!
} not only whisky dealer, he IL a
'urderer At heart; he win commit |
'urder obstruct Justice and DO any
~ cloo q pretee< himoof IA ble