Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-05-22
EDITORIAL
THE COLUMBUS OUTRAGE.


rRIME continues to flourish in Co.
lumbus. For several years the
news of the daily crop of criminality
flowing out from the city on the
Chattahoochee has been rather re-
pellant, particularly to people with
children to educate and rear with
advantages who might be seeking
homes in attractive and progressive
cities. The recent murderous attack
upon City Manager Hinkle, follow
ed by death threats mailed to Mayor
Homer Dimon and the bombing of
his home in the darkness of early
Sunday morning, add new and most
unattractive splotches to the record
of that city.
All cities and all peoples have their
criminal element. In many commu,
mites, however that element is held
in restraint in one way or another
usually by fear through efficient
administration of the criminal laws
and diligence of the police depart
ments and prosecuting offices -
which is another way Of saying that
the criminal knows the law-abidng
citizens are solidly organized through
their official agencies and it is bad
business for them to attempt to de-
fy that organization of society. But
In Columbus evidently either the law
abiding citizens are badly split
among themselves and thus are I'M
able to function efficiently against
the criminal element, rthey haven't
the preponderant majority which
would enable them to suppress the
lawless element successfully. We do
not believe it is the latter-in fact,
we know Therefore, it must be
the former.
And therein, we believe, lies the
cause of the present sad condition of
affairs in Columbus. The good peo-
pie are divlded-at each others
throats, to to speak-and the thugs
are having a splendid time. Instead
Of being Democratic and accepting
the will of the majority expressed
at the polls, many of the losers in
the campaign of a few months ago
to abolish the old form of city gov
eminent which was honey-combed
with corruption and inefficiency, and
substitute for it the commission-man-
ager form, got busy to prevent the
new form making good and have con-
9'stently done everything possible to
force its breakdown almost before it
got under way. Angry because the
new city manager abolished a nun.
Der OF useless jobs and otherwise
applied real business methods to the
city government in the interests of
taxpayers, all manner of opposition
was set up against him maliciouslv.
1t was reported about that he was
murderer who killed another man
IN Americas number of wears ago
although he is a Pennsylvania and
never heard of Americas until he
came to Georgia. Then thugs way.
laid him and attempted to kill him
one night, ne escaping only because
of fleetness of foot. Letters threat.
ening the life of Mayor Dimon one
OF the biggest and most respected
citizens of Columbus, followed. and
then came the bomb that wrecked
the front of his home as he and his
family lay asleep in the still bours
just after midnight.
Be it said to the everlasting credit
OF clean and vigorous press of Co
lumbus, the two daily newspapers
there, although keen business rivals
have stood lined up shoulder to
shoulder for law and order and have
joined others in offers of liberal cash
rewards for the capture and convic-
ton of the guilty persons in the re-
cent conspicuous outrages, and have
called by their true names the stink.
ing individuals who under cover of
darkness have been guilty of these
studied and disgraceful crimes.
The Columbus Enquirer has
had a great deal to say in the last
few weeks and months about lawless-
ness elsewhere; it has heaped
singing reproach upon citizens of
this immediate section among others