Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-05-22
THE PISTOL TOTER A BARRIER
TO DEVELOPMENT.

Lawlessness is a barrier to the de
ve1opment of any country, or section
of country. Murders. assaults. mob
violence, lynchings, these do not form
very attractive menu to set be-
fore the world as an invitation to it
to come in and help TO build up a
state. Men who are not laWless them
selves, who do not have murder III
their hearts, who do not care to go
around as walking arsenals, are 10th
to settle in any place where they may
have been lead to believe that such
course is necessary on their part if
they desire to 'otect their lives in
emergencies likely to arise at any
time.
1t is because of this fact that the
leading papers of the South have made
war in recent years on the pistol toter,
the man who is generally a coward at
heart and whose bravery arises from
| the fact that he has death-dealing
weapon at his hands reach. The Sa-
vannah Morning News has been among
the most persistent in pointing out the
great evil this type of undesirables
do to Georgia and the South in gen.
eral. They form, as it points out, a
great barrier to the Souths securing
the desirable settlers it's unparrallel-
ed opportunities entitle it to. Dis
cussing this matter the News says:
1t is a source of great satisfaction
that the courts are awakening to the
| fact that the carrying of concealed
and deadly weapons and the conse-
| quent crimes of violence among people
of the better class are hindering the
progress of the state, and therefore
are doing what they can to impress
upon grand and petit juries the neces-
sity of bringing to justice pistol tot
| ers, and upon courts the Importance
of enforcing the law against carry
| ing concealed deadly weapons with
| greater vigor. Their effort in this di.
/ rection shouldn't be spasmodic. 1t
| should be continuous No opportun-
| ity should be missed to enforce the
law against those who are guilty of
| crimes Of violence. No greater SER
vice can be rendered the state than
to reduce to a minimum crimes of this
character.
We have on several occasions point
ed out that the desirable class of i'm
migrants wanted in this state will not
come here as long as the pistol is
drawn on the slightest provocation.
Those who are 4uick in drawing
deadly weapons are under the impress
sion that the use of the pistol or
knife in personal quarrels is an indi-
cation of personal courage. Is the use
of deadly weapons in private differ
ences common in Canada, or in Eng
land, or Germany, or France? No one
would question the courage of the peo-
pie of any one of the foregoing coun-
tries.
As a matter of fact a really brave
fan doesn't take human life except in
self defense. He isn't always on the
! lookout for quarrel. and it is seldom
that he has one that cannot be set
tiled without resort to the pistol.
Whar~is the use Of the railroads
newspapers and other agencies trying
to bring capital and immigrants to the
state if their efforts are to be nullifled
! by the pistol toter? 1t is certainly
time that the state was rid of the con-
Icealed deadly weapon evil. What we
want are more school houses, churches
and other evidences of peace and ad-
yancing civilization and fewer crimes
OF violence. Unless this change is
brought about we shall strive in vain
to build up the state by means of i'm
migrants and outside capital. We shall
not be able to influence either to come
here. THE surest way to get rid OF
the deadly concealed weapon evil IS
to create public sentiment against
it SO strong that all the forces of So
Getty will be used against it.