The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-02
Swaps With EXCHANGES
The Situation in Memphis

The Memphis Commercal-Appeal IS crying
out in double-column hlack-faced editorials for
a moral bath in Memphis. There is nothing
truer than that lawessness breeds Iawlessness
Memphis is reaping exactly what it has sown.
The Commercial-Appea says that it has had a
carnival of crime and that the trouble ia that
the public conscience is dormant and accepts
conditions as matter of course. Murders, hold
ups and robberies are occurring SO frequently in
Memphis that the law abiding people are be
coming alarmed asa are Demanding, that high
er premium be put upon law enforcement.
When the state wide prohibition law was pass
ed Memphis boastcd that it would not be en-
forced. 1t was not enforced. and has not heen
enforced in that city. The Commercial Appeal
VAS against the Statewide law and before it's
passage insisted that it could not he enforced
I'm Memphis because public sentiment was
against it. After the law was passed the Conn
merclai~Appeal came out in feeble weak
tAe@a tasss'fyypsagf ffY9sY ~ was ",
but in the same breath it condemned the law as
VICIOUS, un-bemocrauc and iniquitous. aud pre-
'dicted that it would not be enforced. The re-
sti' has heen that the blind tigers nave done
about AS they pleased i'm Memphis and the town
mas been wide open. Apparently effort has
been made by those charged with the dutv ~
law enforcement to enforce the prohibition laws
and close up the la~less saloons.
IT Memphis wants to enforce the law against
murder. highway robbery and other crimes
which now perplex the officers. let it begin by
enforcing tho prohibition law. Let Memphis
close up its two or three hundred blind tigers
and the rest will be easy The reason thu la ~
right people do not want ii enforced If the
governing authorities in Memphis wanted 70
enforce the Statewide prohibition law and the
state ana county authorities would cooperate
with them, Memphis would be as dry as a
town IN Kansas in tWenty-four hours and II
would remain so as long they desired
Memphis has sown lawlessnes and II Is roaming
a harvest of crime In city where several hun
dred whiskey Joints be operated in omen de-
lance of law and with the tacit sanction or the
authorities, or without objection from Them
what Is more natural than for other criminals
to ply their trades2
Ihe Commercial loudly demands the
enforcement of the law against murder and
hlghWaS robbery. but at the time fails 70
lehd 1ts bona hde support to any movement
to close up the several hundred Iawess dives
winch stimulate other criminals whose crimes
are little less popular. A great MANY neonIe
~ Memphls do the same thing, and that il the
chief trouble-Bristoi Herald Courier
Ihls is just the point The Virguian hss for
Those newspapers which encourage yiolators
of the liquor law but invite reign al lawless-
ness, which they then try to saddle on the law
they have brought into disrepute. Memphis as g
telty is laWlessA AT the outset il decided i,
@GiG not ratae IL hand ~nfnrsef law IT has
reaped just what IL has and must suffe,
for 81 Let it impeach its faithless local Off
eiale put in men who regard their official oaths
and Memphis will become respectable again.