The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1918-04-16
A WARNING


demned more vigorously than by
the Courier Journal. Early and lat,
this paper comndemned it; APP
pealed to the authorities TO put il
down; appealed TO the lawmakers
for additional legislation TO put Il
down. But no one recognizes more
clearly the fact than the Courier
Journal that the country right now
is threatened with such a reign of
mob law as it has never known be-
fore. People who all their lives have
preached and practieed against mob
law are now on the brink of resort
ing to il, and they will be over the
brink soon unless the legal death
penalty is inflicted ON the enemies
of the United States who are doing
their fendish work among us.
The debate on the Sedition bill in
the Senate shows that many of the
members of that body realize this
menace; that they understand that
while it is well enough to extend
the penalties against several class
es of these offenders to longer terms
of Imprisonment the menace of mob
law is not to be obviated except by
the vigorous inaicron of the death
penalty upon traitors, spies and
every diaboheal sneak among us
who lifts hand to destroy our war
property and block our war mo-
bilization. lnterning and imprison-
ing these creatures at public ex-
penSe will not answer They must
be killed by the law if we are to
avoid the misfortune of having them
killed by mob law.
The authorities at Washington
are reported as much wrought up
over the lynching of the German,
Prayer, in Illinois. They have cause
to be. They cannot deplore that
foolish act more earnestly than the
Courier-Journal has done. But that
is only the beginning of such foolish
acts unless a sterner hand is laid
by the law on the Kaiserists who
are working their devilism among
us. The way to prevent the killing
by mobs of those who do not de-
serve the death penalty is to kill
by the law those who do deserve it.
Signs of the threatening storm
cloud are not hard to find. Here,
for instance, is the Frankfort
State Journal saying:
We have not been guilty at any
time of applauding the spirit OF
self reliant lawlessness which has
been manifested from time to time
in Kentucky, but we drop this hint
to the German spies in this State
Look out for trouble if you begin
horses in Kentucky. The
people of Kentucky are not likely
to deal leniently with any one whs
is detected poisoning horses. 1t is
not at all likely that there would be
any of "the laws delays" of which
Hamlet spoke regretfully, in the
event of the detection of a German
agent damaging horses in this state.
Ii necessary bodies of vigilantes
will be formed and the situation
here will be pretty well taken care
Of. Spies caught will not live to tell
the tale. That had as well be under
stood at the beginning, however re-
Sretable may be the disposition of
hentuckians to take matters in
their own hands when the law does
not provide an adequate and prompt
remedy for intolearable conditions.
You can hear that sort of talk
On every side. And it is not idle
talk. Human nature was never more
human nature than it is at this
lime. The law must fulfill it's fune-
lions in dealing with our enemies
'r mob law viii usurp those fune-
lions, with its deplorable democrat
cation and exeesses Of indiserim-
mating passion.-Louisvile Cour-