The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-04
RESULT OF SLOW WORKING JUSTICE.

1t has long been q scandal IN America that
justice prompt and precise so rarely follows
crime and malefactors of every sort so often
escape that crininality is encouraged. Inc
weak point in our judicial system IS that IN pro-
tecting the innocent against false accusations
I'VE give the defendant such advantage that IL
lis proverbially Difficult and frequently impos-
sble to punish him for misdeeds. 1t justice
were certain, adequate and quick our courts
would be more deterrent of crimes than they
are; public sentiment would trust them and
there would be less clamor for lynch law.
This is no argument for mob law. Nothing
iustifes that, and it is infinitely worse than any
condition it undertakes to cure. Mobs are de
!moniac in their blind red rage as is shown by
their frantic brutality in venting their flaming
hatred on innocent members of a race or group
to which the accused belongs The race rlotlng
which puts an indeible stain upon this nation
is not different in kind in effect from the at
tacks of the bolsheviki in Russia upon those
who oppose them and has even less excuse. Our
negroes have no characteristics that can De con-
sidered racial which make them odlous or gen
erallv feared AS race and as a rule they are
ouiet. kindly. orderly, disposed to be religious,
a patient, cheerful people, responding to friend
liness and making the best OF disadvantages
and prescriptions which are harder to bear ana
more unjust and cruel than citizens OF other
races realize They are not to be blamed that
they are not as far along the evolutionary pain
as caucasians of certain strains. 10 TINS TACT
is due that they as class are more thrlftless
and irresponsible, more inclined to live IN today
and let tomorrow look out for itself. This is
trait Of all undeveloped races. Our own Tore
bears were once no different; and IN consider
ing the happy go-lucky temperament OF the
American negro it must be remembered that he
is only a few generations removed from ances-
tors in tropical lands where nature supphed
their simple needs and there was no incentive
to work.
The negro as race is nearer than the white
to that state of primitive anlnahty from which
mankind is slowly moving away. The lower
forms of life with few exceptions develop no
foresight make no provision for day to come;
and tropical animals never do, because the
changeless season renders such effort needless
1t is much to be doubted II any other clVlllled
people have a racial element among them which
conld so easily be made contented and useful
factor in the nation IS life. The negro responds
to kindliness and the most he asks is that JUS
t;ce he guaranteed to him by our laws. The
,nalofactors among them should be promptly
punished. but it should be by the courts and not
Nv passionate frenzied mobs. Mobocracy is the
oreatest danger against which governments OF
the people must guard. Rioting for any cause
encourages rioting for lesser causes; and unless
ayarv citizen and class of citizens gets justice
under law of equal application, the time Will
come when no citizen can.
One happy result Of the war is that the United
States has got over the idea that 1T can hex the
world singlehanded Consequently the country