The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-05
HIrADvISEn SYMPATHY.

the sentence of the Aliens. Those misguided
Richmond people who are behind the move
ment-ff any concerted plan exsts--are doubt
less inspired by what they regard as the best
o. motives. and yet their inspiration, shorn
Of all persifage narrows into one channel:
sympathy for a human being under sentence
OF death. Every man or woman in whose
veins courses red blood and the milk OF human
Kindness feels that same sympathy for any
mortal who sits in the shadow of the electric
chair but IL sentiment of it maudin---
Sc to stand between lawbreakers and merited
punishment we may az we'll do away with the
courts and embark upon a reign of anarchy
for that is what It would Launching
father and son--inteligent white men and
ncminally good ctizens--into eternity eonsti-
tutes pitful tragedy: there's no doubt about
that, but those sentimentalists who clamor for
ciemency for the Aliens should consider first
the crime for which they conyicted--the
blacklist stain on Virgnias escutcheon and
probably without parallel in history-the
deliberate massacre OF a court in which Floyd
Allen had been given fair and impartial
TRIAL by Jury OF his peers tnpfemeditated,
]
it was atroclous enough. premeditated, as the
evidence proclaimed il, it was unpardonably
henous, To condone such crime by relieving
its perpetrators of anything but the extreme
penalty OF the law Which they wanton1y and
recklessly defed would be 10 invite anarchy
Every executive of every State is besieged
with these final appeals to spare the lives of
condemned criminals II requires little
moral courage on the part of executive
TO sift them down conscientiously, and then in
defiance of public opinion stand up for what
he believes to be right Witness, for instance,
the case of Virginia Christian This negro
woman, twenty-five years old, Of sound mind
and average Intelligence, murdered in cold
blood a white woman. Northern and Western
newspapers worked themselves into editorial
frenzy over the legal execution of an ''un-
tutored girl" who did not know right from
wrong Chicago newspaper went far as
TO send a negro lawyer to Richmond 10 make
an appeal for cemency. One soft-hearted citi-
zen from remote State besought the Gov
ernor's mercy on the ground that it would
be pity TO execute woman with such a
pretty name as Virginia Christian" This and
much similar rot was poured into Governor
Manns ears and the Virginia executive came
in for more than one roast" at 4he hands of
the yellow journals because he refused to heed
this silly sentimentalism. And the truth OF
the matter, in nutshell. that Virginia
Christian was a mature woman. who confessed
the diabocal murder of which she was con-
vcted and stated that she knew her punish
ment just.
Just now of his own yolition. Governor
Mann is investigating the case Of Fred AIRING
ton white man charged with murder, whom
some say is insane. There is some evidence
that Arlington was dope fend and irrrespon-
sible- Little no public sentiment has been
aroused in the case Of this unfortunate man.
ard yet there Is more call for outspoken ex-
preston than there was for the maudin sem
timent called out by the case of Virginia Chris
tian or the plight of the Aliens The governor
does not believe that the laws vengeance de-
mands the execution of one whose mind has
been tourhed by the Great Spirit" and has
therefore. and wisely. called for an inyesti-
CATION ar the hands of expert alenists.
Governor Mann has not expressed himself,
so far as We know, in the Allen case, but sew
eral close to him have ventured the opinion
that he has made UP his mind TO let the Law
take it's course We trust this is true. Every
lVirglnian who believes in law and order should
uphold his hand, lend him moral support and
applaud him for having the courage of his
convictions. The Aliens are men OF more than
average intelligence, men go; TO condone
their crime by relieving them of anything but
the extreme penalty imposed by the law would
be TO mock at the dignity of the machinery
of State, TO cheaper human life and make
light of lawlessness And. furthermore, the
undoing of the verdict of the court which
tried Floyd and Claude Allen would certainly
not tend to uphold the majesty of the same
court in the forthcoming trial OF the remain
ing perpetrators in the crime. The gravity OF
their crimes demands punishment richly
meritede< and those swayed by ,nlandn SYM
pathy. il they can be induced to review the
matter dispassonateiy, will be forced TO admit
that outraged justice demands this reparation
WILSON AND LABOR.
In denying the preposterous campaign ca
.nard that he had been elected an honorary