The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-09-24
GUNPoWDER A CIvILIzER

Lt . Oilly OlACC III Wllle IlaL
newspaper has the good sense to
print anything as sensible about fire.
arms as the following from the st.
Petersburg Independent:
A young man in st. Petersburg
this week was fined $25 for carrying
a revolver and the weapon was con-
fiscated. Which was perfectly proper
and even might be termed light SEN
tenee. The young man could show no
good reason why he carried a revolt
yer. But the Independent would take
issue with Judge Spear, who declared
there is never an excuse for a man to
put revolver in his pocket. There
is one time when man is justified in
arming himself; that is when he has
reason to believe that his life is in
danger at the hands of an adversary
who will use deadly weapon or who
is greatly superior in strength. Is
small man to tamely submit to beat
ing at the hands of big bully who
has the physical strength to carry out
his purpose? By no means. Recently
the Tampa Tribune printed the fol-
lowing editorially:
"A Chicago man has been advertis-
ing recently in various newspapers
around the country: I will pay $1,000
to anyone who viii give one good rea-
son why the revolver manufacturing
industry should be allowed to exist in
America and enjoy the facilities of
the mails So far nobody seems to
have claimed the $1,000.
"That advertisement is surely cal
culated to make people think, and that
is why the Chicago man is paying his
money to advertise His attack on
the revolver industry is rather ex-
treme. 1t has been a legitimate in
dustry in the past. 1t doubtless has
its legitimate uses even in the pres
ent. But there is a widespread feel
| ing that the activities of those who
make and distribute dangerous weap-
ons should be restricted.
"The situation with regard to fire.
arms has changed. In pioneer days
it was necessary for many people to
carry revolvers, and have them in
their homes. Today it is hardly nee
essary for any but officers of the law.
"The argument that private citizens
should be armed for self-defense is
specious. The only reason their lives
ere in danger nowadays is that GRIM
inals are able easily to obtain deadly
weapons. The logical thing to do is
to keep weapons out of the hands of
the criminal and irresponsible. That
can hardly be done except by severely
limiting the operations of the firearms
industry, so as to make the purchase
of a revolver by any unauthorized
/ person very difficult matter"
Criminals always will be able to get
weapons, if not revolvers then other
weapons that are as deadly and these
persons who have no respect for the
| law will not hesitate to use their
weapons, especially on unarmed men
and women.
Gunpowder was the great civilizer.
1t made little man as powerful as a
big one and marked the end of the
bulldozing bully who ran roughshod
over those without physical strength
to oppose him. So today a revolver
makes the physically weak man the
equal of the six-footer who could crush
the little man in his hands. And there
are times when the little man would
need the revolver if certain big men
knew there was no revolver or weapon
that could be used to repel their at
tacks. There are DULLES today just
as there have always been.
In New York it is against the Law
to own a revolver without permit
This means that the householder and
honest citizen has his weapons taker
away from him while the burglar anC
hold-up man, who cares nothing fol
the law, continues to go armed. Il
means also. that the burglar knows
that he is comparatively safe IN th'
house he enters in the night and ha'
every advantage of the man who seek
| IT, protect his home and his propert!
{ rights. The law has been a failure
All laws that tend to disarm the goot
: citizen are certain TO be failures, TO
t it inevitably follows that the crimina
| r-iIl s,,..,, h;,,ncolf. IL not with a raYnl