The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-02-29
THE CITIZENS RIGHT
TO CARRY ARMS


1t has ever been one Of the mistakes
Of society to try to kill the upas tree
or evil by looping or the branches In
stead Of digging up the roots. This Ii
not much better exemplihed than in
the attempt of legislatures and courts
to prevent homicide by trying to cur
tail, IL not cancel, the citizens right
TO carry arms.
So TAR as can be estimated by the
study of history. there was more
nghtfng and killing in the days when
nearly every man wore a sword than
there Is now. For obvious reasons,
statistics ON the stone age. when every
man carried a club IN hts hand, are not
available, but there Is no reason to be-
1ieve that human life was safe In that
happy time. Notwithstanding, it Is
constantly proclaimed by press and
pulpit that carrying concealed weap-
ons is the reason for most of the muir
ders committed in this time and ter
rftory. It seems like a man who has
imbibed enough information to enable
him to write an editorial or preach a
sermon should know enough about hu-
man nature to knew better-should
understand that murder proceeds, IN
the vast majority Of cases, from a
deeper reason. than having a weapon
convenient. Consequently the Star is
much refreshed by the following en-
tirely appropriate and truthful edi-
torial from the Times-Union:
Protecting Foetpads
The Sanford Herald has its own ideas
as to the best method Of putting a stop
to holdups In Jacksonville and does
not hesitate to express them. 1t says:
The young street car conductor in
Jacksonville who killed the negro
highwayman ON Tuesday night did
more for the protection of the citizens
than the whole police force combined
II every citizen of Jacksonville would
go out armed at night and. emulate
Smiths example the hoIdups and MUIR
ders In Jacksonville would become less
frequent"
The Herald probably realizes that IL
Is advising a wholesale violation OF
law. The street car conductor who
killed the highwayman was law
breaker. II he had been a 1awabidine
citizen at the time he would have beer
robbed or killed. We do not mean he
was q lawbreaker because he killed 6
nan; acting as he did IN se1f-defense
he had q perfect right to do this. He
was lawbreaker because he carried 6
pistol which the statements Of the fac
show was concealed
II this man had been found prepar
ed to defend his life before he actuall,
had occasion to defend 1t he would have
been arrested and fined heavily or i'm
prisoned. The laws Of Florida ant
nearly every other state are designed
to prevent a man from defending hi.
life and operate to put the Iawabidint
citizen at the mercy Of the lawless.
The law against carrying concealed
weapons should be- repealed. It Is
sneaking. hypocritical attempt to de
prive the people of their constitutions
rights The constitution of the Unitet
States explicitly guarantees the RICH
to carry arms. AS neither state no
federal statutes can take away thi
right. legislatures pass laws agains
carrying concealed weapons. KNOWING
that self respect and the opinions o
his neighbors will prevent a man from
carrying them openly. II the law in
stead Of operating to prevent mel
from carrying concealed weapons at al
should operate to make them carr.
them openly the number OF crimes o
violence would be reduced to a mini
mum.
We take no stock in the idea that |
men carried pistols they would be NOR
quarrelsome than they are. mai
would be more reluctant to engage Il
q quarrel II he knew 1t would not i'm
probably result In death and so far q
forcing q quarrel on another Is con
cerned we have never heard of a maj
who wished to be hanged just for fun
As II Is, in the cities-Jacksonville /
no exception-the police are not abb
to protect the citizens but as the OF
fcers charged with enforcing the Law
they use their power to keep the citi
Gems disarmed so that the occupation
Of footpad can be pursued withou
unnecessary risk.