The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1917-07-20
ANOTHER LESSON FROM
THE EST, LOUIS LYNCH|NG
Negro Population in West Virginia
Shous 80 Per Cent Increase in
Fifteen Months-- The Negro
in the Mouies.
By Ralph ". White, Official Correspondent,

CHARLESTON, w. Va, July 40
As with all things else that are pernicious
through and through, lynchings must
have an end. Ii will have an end. Ii
will come in the most unexpected way
doubtless. The public is being uncon-
sciously educated up TO that point, where
they will absolutely refuse to counte-
nance IL there was ever an ulcer on
the body of this American civilization it
is this abnormslly Developed spirit Of
lawlessness There is one thing sure and
certain, we have either got 70 throw all
semblance of law and order to the winds
and espouse the custom Of lynching or
else We have got to put our foot right
down on this practice and prosecute every
lyncher to the fullest extent Of the law.
In other words, we are going to have TO
have one or the other. We can't have
both. They ar'nt compatible. They
won't mix. There is nothing in common
between them.
Note the growth Of this unbridled
spirit to wantonly take human life. At
hrst, il was a matter in which no man
cared TO be known, even when he was
mean and cowardly enough to engage in
such thing. Everything about it was
done clandestingly. The utmost secrecy
was observed. Ii Was only resorted TO
for one crime. Later, there was Q gen
eral letting mp along the line of such
careful vigilence in this direction and
men became more bold. liz came to be
a matter of less concern to the thought
ful and lay less oeavily upon the con-
seiences OF those who participated in
sach blood curdling ogeries. Justice took
q narcotic and refused to he awakened.
Aud now, It has about reached its zenith
OF debauchery. Ii is made the program
the feature OF an gala occasion Excur-
sions are run to the scene of Indescrib-
able butchery and savage torture. The
gentler sex have lost or been made to
loose their every sense OF modesty and
are persuaded to join in these awful
scenes Again, the occasion nowa-days
is not confined 70 any one particular
crime. Octopns-Iike, IL has reached out
Its ~crawney tentacles and now clltshes
ANY man for ANY crime, according to
the temper OF the mob Ii Used to be
only Negroes. Ii is nov Negroes, whites
or anybody. 1t used TO he q most secret
Transaction. It Is now open and fiagrant.
lt USED To 1e altogether about women. IL
Is now performed 10y them. These are a
few OF the STEPS, in this process Of grad
uai graduation by which We have de-
scended, not ascended, in the scale of
civilization. Every thoughtful individual
knows, must know, IL at Il is cannot last,
and We maintain our place zs q high
world power. IL IL an Insiduous evil
that, like a serpent, has crsvled silently
and unheeded into the nations lap, and
shile she sIumbers, it, fangs are toying
with her heart.
Viewing the commitment Of even the
unmentionable crime from All unbiased
angle, We all know that nothing can
arouse the desire in a man to kill more
than that We verify believe that, il
there is any crime for which q man
ought to pay with hs life and pay speed
Ily it - this one.
NEGRO IN THE MOVIES.
There has been quite q little breaking
into the game Of the movies on the part
OF Negro actors. but il has been 20 little
noticed that IL l. n Il yet quite spprecisbls.
for what it is really worth. In the first
launching ont of the movies, there were
practically no Negroes whstever IN any
way shape or form in the pictures. Tbey
hardly got on the screen n say nothing
Of taking any place in the vooi and warp
Of the scenarios. little later on here
and there, they were seen TO take minor
parts in some Of the productions. How
ever, here Of late, not only have they
been being festhered IN some Of the more
important productions, bot in several in
stances they have featured the produc-
ton A. one Of the important casts. Birs
Williams and few Others have broken
into the game on an independent score
and have done well and been well receiv-
ed by the patrons the country over. From
the part Of merely q funmsker and IDIOT
ic amusement, they are coming 10 take
place with commendsble rank. We re-
call distinctly an Ince production under
the title Of ''Bawb Of the Blue Ridse'' in
which not only colored woman featured
the Kentucky Mamma with dignity and
credit, but ak little colorcd children play
ed . prominent part In the whole scheme
and fabric Of the production. They did
t commercially and with credit.
NEsskO POPULATION INCREASING
While everything else. such - the cost
OF living and oxhar thinxs have huunn