Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-03-11
UpHOLDs GOVERNOR MANN.
Misdirected Sympathy in the Allen
Case Says DIR. Young.


Richmond, Va, March 11.-Misdi- |
rected sympathy, violent criticism OF
Governor Mann for his refusal to COM
mute the sentences of the Aliens, the'I
existence Of the saloons, ignorance IN
certain isolated mountain sections
and districts" of shame, the causes OF
crime, were the targets for the cen
sure of DR.. W. J. Young, of Cente-
nary Church, Sunday night, in SER
mon on justice, in which he declared
that as painful as it would be ne
would have done as Governor Mann
did.
"God pity u.s. he said in closing,
chat we are weeping and shrieklng
over this great tragedy OF the execu-
ton of these two men when we have
never touched with out finger tips the
cause of it all"
DR.. Young said in opening that he
did not intend to go into the loyal
ASPECTS of the case. The evidence to
his mind showed that the men had re-
ceived a fair trial, twice the Supreme
Court of the State had said that the
law had been fully complied with and
the governor had gone into the case
thoroughly. Knowing what he did OF
the case and feeling it his duty to ac-
oept the conclusion of the jury and the
trial Judge who had given fam trial
and the conclusion of experts IN the
law he declared that while he had as
much sympathy for the unfortunate
men aus ony one and while it would
main him more than anything else
his conscientious regard for the obil-
cations ne owed to the Commonwealth
would cause him to refuse commute
tion. were he in the governors place.
He had no criticism to make of those
whose sympathies with the Aliens had
led them to ask communication, except
those who had impugned the motives
of those who were qually as huamn,
equally as sympathetic and equally as
regardful for the good of the state as
they.
The pastor iamented that this SYM
! pathy could not be harnessed and
turned into other channels. The Sums
of the city. the saloons, the restricted
district, the ignorance OF isolated COM
munities are permitted TO exist by us,
he said, and our sympatbies should
rather be for those who inhabit them
and are going down to crime than for
the men who have written their own
+! doom.
"They call the execution Of these
men great tragedy" he said. at is q
tragedy, but it is the tragedy such as
that told Of in the words above the
temple. %, Israel. thou hast destroyed
myself Lives wrecked by drink, dis
eased bodies, human frames worn
away by the drug habit, the crimes
committed by victims CT evil passion
are tragedies. We have too much SYM
pathy for the results of crime and
not enough condemnation of crime. .
That there is too much criticism Of
the courts, vas the declaration of the
pastor. The courts make mistakes,
ne said but when judges are unfit they
should be removed. The court and the
church are the safeguards of society
and should be upheld He spoke Of the
charge made by the editor Of a news
paper that judge had rendered a de-
cision in the Vanderbilt case because
he thought it best for himself "The
man who writes such an article as this,
if lie has any manhood, would retract
or push his charges to conclusion
anu throw the Judge off the bench"
Colonel Roosevelt, he thought, "has
blundered' several times in this re-
spect.
Dr.Young said that he had preached
the sermon because he felt that what
he had to say should be said. He had
not done so before, because he would
not take it upon himself to attempt to
influence the governor in reaching a
decision.