The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1916-03-29
precept Upon Preeeit.


n a great city wink its eye at one
vice and openly permits one law to be
violated at liberty and at the pleas
( ure Of the violator is there any reason
10 doubt that the citizens Of that com
munity viii eventually vi,ate other
laws? n a people by and with the
consent Of the leading element in that
community. continues TO violate with
impunlty a state law. Is it not nat
ural h suppose that either aud young
er men will, in the course OF time.
fall into temptation and proceed to
violate for gain. a federal law or laws?
Arthur NJ Robinson. the scion of a
good family, the trusted empIoye Of
the Savannah postoffice. has just
been rOnvict6d of ;embezzling the
funds OF the government and has been
sentenced TO a fine Of $40 (the
amount Of mis- pcculations) together
with a term Of two years in the fed
eral prison in Atlanta Robinson had
always enjoyed a good reputation in
his home city; he was regarded in
business circles as being a sterling
young business man, very honest,
clean and outstanding Yet he was a
petty thief and for months had been
stealing the funds of the United
States government, just as others in
his home city had been violating an.
other law, While there is no mitgat-
ing circumstances 10 be urged in his
favor, it is not safe to assume that had
this youth been taught to- believe that
all laws stand In equal dignity before
all people; that II was as grave an Of
Tense to commit crime in the viola
ton Of state laws. as it is to do SO
in the violation of federal laws, would
he have stopped TO quickly? In other
words. If Savannah had at this mo-
ment the reputation of being "A law
abiding city, standing squarely for the
enforcement Of all laws, city. state
and federal, would this boy be stand.
ing in the shadow Of criminals cell
this morning?
When the best thought OF com
munlty holds the law In contempt,
what must be expected Of others
those who are naturally supposed to
follow that lead? Savannah has been
censured very generally by the PEG.
pie of Georgia for the open manner in
which she has permitted the laws OF
the state to be violated, but here in.
deed is an instance OF new manner
in which that condition works to the
disadvantage of the Young men of that
city
In passing sentence on Robinson,
Judge Emory Speer very truly said.
| am not at all surprised that a
young man, evea OF good reputa
ton and good antecedents has
been induced by genera disrc.
gard of law to the concl sion that
he can violate any law, When
leaders proclaim thei> defiance to
law and encourage others to re
sist particular law, especially
when such leaders are themselves
sworn officers of the law, sworn
TO obey the constitution and the
laws not only of the state. but of
the United states, they perhaps
do not conceive or cYerestimate
ho V far the poison o. sGeh utter
ances extends. You cannot estab-
fish a settled policy in any COM
mdntty OF setting at defiance the
well established laws of the land
without creating in the plastic
mind. particularly of the youth,
the impression that they can VIC
late with impunity all laws, even
those that involve moral turpi-
tudc, like the offrnse OF which
you have been convicted.
Judge Speor expresses splendidly
the thought that is on our mind on the
crltagf