Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-04-17
BROWNSVILLE DAILY HERALD. WEDNESDAY. APRIL H. 1919.

heretofore. That is simply begging
the question. You are now brought
face TO face with a condition; it i
no mere theory that confronts you;
IL is a condition hat demands at
your hands an earnest fearless,
faithful Investigation.
Do not be appalled, at the enormity
either Of the o~ffense, nor at the
work necessary to properly examine
every detail of il. You have the
entire term of the court within
which you may remain in session.
II after having thoroughly investi-
gated all Of these matters, you find
that the law has been violated and
can find those engaged in it, do
your duty, gentlemen, and present
them to the court by bill Of in1ict-
ment, no matter who may be affected
by it, and no matter in what walk
Of life you may find the offender. be
his estate of high or low degree.
II on the Nher hand, you can on
scientiously say in your minds and
hearts that all these rumors Of fraud
and corruption are without founda-
ton, and that the law has not been
violated, then say SO like men who
are not afraid of public criticism.
Homicides and Shootings.
Since the last term Of this court.
there seem to have been an unusual
number Of homicides and shooting
or assault scrapes in this county,
and, gentlemen Of the grand jury.
want to ask you, and through you.
the citizenship Of this county, where
is this thing leading, and when is
It going to stop?
! a tell you to where it is lead
ing-it j. leading to ~lawlessness and
anarchy. When men get 50 bold, or
so careless, that they value a human
life at a less rating than they do
that Of an animal, and they regard
the punishment for the latter more
seriously than they do the former;
when they are more afraid Of the
law that forbids cattle or horse steal
ing than the one that prohibits the
taking Of a human life; when they
think that they can snuff out the life
Of a fellow being and rely upon
their friends to get them out Of it:
then, indeed, il law, and the admin
istration thereof, a mockery. and
such a thing as justice and well or
gained society is a laughing stock
Laws Not Respected.
! do not recall. but the number is
quite large, the various homicides
and assaults that have taken place
since the last term Of this court. Tt
has been said that in a new country
that has just began to develop we
naturally expect such things. That
may be true to a certain extent, but
we are getting by far too large a.
proportion of our share of shame.
and | tell you now that it is, in my
Judgment, largely due to lack Of
respect for the law and for lawful
authority, and until these conditions
change We can not hope for much
better permanent results. This leads
us to the second question to Which
| answer:
That whenever the law abiding
citizens make up their minds that
these things must stop, and then res
olutely determine that they are
going to stand shoulder to shoulder
as one mar and put a stop to law
lessness and crime, and prosecute
and punish those guilty Of it, then,
and not until then. will crime be
suppressed, and law and order will
reign supreme.
Deliberate Judgment Required.
The conditions are such as call for
deliberate judgment and wise coun-
sci.
Political alliances, past friend-l
ships or associations. must necessar-
lily be cast aside, and matters must
be viewed calmly and dispassionate-
ly. | believe that there are enough
law abiding people in Cameron
county, who want to see the laws en-
forced and the right prevail, who
can. By standing together and work