Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-03-23

to popular belief, these victims are
not always colored. During the time
named, 1927 white persons have
been lynched, or an average of one
for every ten days; and to add still
further shame, 76 of the victims have
been women, and not more than one.
third of these victims have been
charged or even suspected of the
crime of rape which tends to show
the absolute futility of either confin'
ing or directing mob violence and
anarchy to any good ends.
More people are murdered in this
country in year than are killed on
the railroads. In three years the vic
tins of our murder cases total more
than the death losses of the British
army in the Boer war.
If we could trace the violation OF
law in all its numberless ramifica-
tions, its evil consequences and its
economic loss, we would then COM
mence to realize in very truth what
l am attempting to demonstrate,
namely: that there can be no estab-
lishment of justice without the fear
less and impartial enforcement of the
law. We would also realize that the
matter Of law enforcement is a mans
work; that it cannot be limited to
any narrow boundaries. The en-
forcement of law means something
more than the prosecution of boot
leggers, gamblers or white slavers,
important as these things may be. 1t
means something more than enforc-
ing the law against trusts and mon
opolies to the end that the poor may
not be robbed in the purchase of the
necessaries of life. 1t means some
thing more than prosecuting the
great transportation companies for
pooling contracts and arrangements.
1t means more than the enforcement
of the speed ordinances so that hui
man beings may be safe upon the
streets and highways, or the passage
and enforcement of laws for the pro-
lection Of passengers at sea so that
calamities such as the sinking of the
Titanic will not again happen.
1t means all this, but, in addition,
it means the highest degree of indi-
vidual civil liberty where each man
is sovereign unto himself and his
home is his castle. 1t means the
doctrine of equality, not physical or
mental equality, but an equal right
to worship God according to the die
tates of ones conscience and an
equal right to live out ones life in
his own way, and equal opportunity
to engage in any activity or enter
prise without artificial barriers or
interference. 1t means a combining
of the theory of individual liberty
law and English institutions with
the doctrine of equality which we
borrowed from France as an out
growth of the French revolution
with that idea of perfection of the
whole social system which has made
such wonderful progress in Germany
during the last thirty years.
The union of justice, of high ideals
and law enforcement is of divine Or
igin and what God hath joined to-
gether no man can put asunder."
No one saw this more clearly than
Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln saw the
danger to our government and our
free institutions of growing disre-
spect for law. With wonderful an
alysis and exposition his thoughts
are presented in an address given be-
fore the Young Mems Lyceum of
Springfield, Illinois, on the subject
The Perpetuation of our Political
institutions. After pointing out in |
detail concrete instances of disre- |
spect for law and mob violence, he
said:
81 know the American people are
much attached to their government; |
know they would suffer much for
its sake; I know they would endure
evils long and patiently before they
would ever think of exchanging it
tor another,-yet, Notwithstanding
ali this, if the laws be continually
1espised and disregarded, if their
rights to be secure in their persons
and property are held by no better
,enure than the caprice of mob, the !
alienation of their affections from
he government is the natural conse-
luence."
He then said: How shall we for
ify against it," And he answered:
Let reverence for the laws be
'reathed by every American mother
o the lisping babe that prattles on
Ter lap: let it be taught in schools,