Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-06
OUR NATIONS GREATEST NEED
Ono of the Days Best Cartoons.
u'rom the Donton Cbrintian ReEister1

Many are the needs of our great
struGEli nation. and distinctions
among them might seem TO be ividi-
Gus; but its decp-down interior need. a
need which cries and groans In the very
structure OF its being is greater re-
spect for civil and criminal law Re-
cent events have brought evidence OF
this need to the fore. The widespread
protest against the condemnation Of
Leo Frank. In Georgia, evinces a wide
spread distrust of tho justice admins
tered in that State. The riotous acts
AT Bayonnc. y. J., show how readily
citizens Will disregard legal procedure
and have recourse TO personal violence
as remedies for Ills real or fancicd. The
selectmen OF town near Boston re-
Gently threatened n celebrated golf club
with the enforcement OF Sunday laws IL
striking caddies were not taken back
evidently these laws were held TO be
of little value in themselves. and could
he used or ignored at the ntful par
tisan will OF the town officers The re-
suit OF the Harry Thaw trial has con-
nrmed in the hearts OF thousands tho
conviction that you can get what you
wish in the courts If YOU have money"
Thus from one cause and another the
thoughtful citizen Of to-day. rejecting
more earnestly upon our strength and
weakness than no did n year ago Is
led TO feel anxiety as TO our future
both near and remote We know that
heritcd titles and the prestige OF a
peerage. we must find the very frame
work Of nations in our system OF juris-
prudence and It's enforcement. II this
remain intact In texture and efficient
In action. we can bear many Of our
lesser ills. and in duo time remedy our
minor defects; but this widespread
deep-down dsstrust and even contempt
OF our judicial and executive branches
is symptom of serious internal dis
order. and such symptoms and !ndica
lions nre legion.
In no other civilized country as read
ily and boldly as in ours will n mob
gather and attack an officer Of the law
ana set free tho culprit he has arrested.
In tho enforcement Of building inspec-
,ioh laws mere Is laXity which exist s
because the public demand for rirorou.
enforcement is not strong and contin
uous enough to back up the appoinied
officials In their work. Pcrhaps tho most
singular instance Of law-tlisrcrard
ing is shown by tho owners ana drjv-
ers of automobiles: many OF these mon
who lightly and laughingly speak about
exceeding the speed laws arc amonr
tho highest grades of citizens wo hoye
and often are public officials and nvcn
trainers OF the very laws which the,-
break. There arc several caus.s go
this disregard of law; one OF them 9
mat we take into our population wear
after year thousands of persons fron,
across the sea whose chief information
about this land, before they came w,.
mat IL was land Of freedom, and
naturally they Chafe under our nnodfn1
| restraints after they arriye ,,,nnr 49,,
bht again. quite at the oppositc cnd M
inc scale. among people who have been
long rooted in this our soil as napr,nt
cases or iawlcssness can be found as
aauis inc newcomers from Greece or
armenia or Russia. This Is tho more
| unpardonah!e kind OF lawlessness tho
kihd winch preSumes upon its prostIgo
vi wealth. or social position, and sins
more knowingly than does the some
Mn"' pc"iidercd immigrant. Such per-
Gus ui',h from families of distinction.
| "to "eePiE Dlameworthy because of the
e""ilpic thcy set. and even naunt be-
c '''c eyes of the simpler, palmer
| people one of the causes for law
preh KING In all classes is the hello,
Ioi 'h'h laws, statutes. ordinances
az Unjust Diased. and undeseryine OF
| observance. There Is some truth In thie
Wow our statute books arc Uttered
! win laws which have been hastily con.
| ceiFcd. loosely drawn, and often are
measures intended to strengthen some
demae ogue in his exercise of greed and
ambition. Yet these defects in the
framing OF our laws are no excuse for
| the scores OF fragrant violations which
confront us on all sides. These viola.
| lions. az rule, arise out of our mer-
| temperament, OuI
| cheerful confidence In our future. and
! even out of n high conceit of ourselves
the remedy or remedies for such dis
regard of law is being sought for more
| and more anxiously by public spirited
! citizens. Some of the most eminent nt
| our jnrists have frankly pointed on,
| the defects in our legal system. its dc.
| lays and indircctions and compleXitic,
| and have urged the legal profession tc
take n reformative interest in these
| matters; twice within ten years has
this been the theme Of the chief address
before the American Bar Association
but the legal mind, partly by its train.
ing, Is conservative and welded to pre-.
| ccdent. and the reform draEs Another
! remedy suggested liz that plain citizen:
| shall watch moro carefully the lcgisla
| tion which is being enacted. day after
day, by our state assemblies; that, in.
deed. is vcritable form of patriotism
| and can be exercised In piping times oi
peace, when war seems far off, Another