The Colorado statesman., 1922-02-11
Proposal to Put Stop
to Lyme C h n G S
Causes Bryan to
Break Out
VILLAIN JENNINGS BRYAN II

w timore sun, denounces the
Dyer anti-lynching bill which Is now
before Congress. In commenting upon
the bill, Mr.. Bryan said: II think the
bill is an ineXcusable and indefensible
manifestation of partisanshlp. 1t is the
most partisan measure that has been
offered seriously in Congress for Il
generation"
In point of fact, the Dyer anti-lynch-
ing bill is nothing but measure in
support of law enforcement. There is
nothing partisan in it. There is moth
ing sectional in it. 1t defines mobs and
fixes penalties for those who partic-
pate in mObs, and for Officers of the
law who permit mobs and lynching
within the territory under their juris-
diction. 1t also provides penalties for
municipalities or counties in which
mobs are organized and commit muir
der. 1t applies alike to the state of
Maine and the state of Texas; to the
communities of Minnesota and those
of Mississippi. If it becomes law it
will be in equal force and effect in the
rock-ribbed Republican state of Penn.
sylvania and the solid Democratic
state of Alabama. Mr.. Bryan convicts
himself either of ignorance or misrep-
resentatiOn when he characterzes the
bill us being II partisan one.
Continuing his denunciation of the
bill, Mr.. Bryan says: 1t will not help
the colored people to turn attention
away from crimes that lead to lynch
ing-that is 10 say 10 show more sym
pathy for the cOlOred man who has
attacked white woman than the WON
on who is the victim"
The Baltimore sun, in carrying the
interview, stated that Mr.. Bryan is GO
ing to be II candidate for the United
States Senate from Florida, which he
now claims as his legal residence. 1t
would appear that Mr.. Bryan has rap
idly and readily become acclimated,
not only physically, but mental, to his
new home. There is nothing in the
Dyer anti-lynching bill to justify the
conclusion or the assertion that ii will,
if it becomes n law, be operative only
against those who attempt to take the
law into their own hands in punish
ment of Negroes who have assaulted
white women. The bill applies to all
mobs, everywhere, no matter what the
occasion or who the victims.
Furthermore, the argument which
Mr.. Bryan advances, although it is the
stereotyped argument of i'the Demo.
Gratis in justification of mob law, is,
nevertheless, contrary to the facts.
Statistics since 1889 show that only
1866 per cent of victims of mobs ever
en-. In other words, five out of six
victims of mobs are innocent of the
crime to which Mr.. Bryan alludes.
Furthermore, the data shows that of
the total number of victims of mobs
since 1885, "a of them were women.
To come closer to Mr.. Bryan's home,
it may be said that one of the more
recent mob Outrages took place in Or
lando, Fla, in November, 1920. The
occasion of the mob at that time in
Mr.. Bryan's adopted state, which he
hopes to represent in the United States
Senate, was the effort of IL Negro cit
izen, who was qualified voted, to eX-
ercise the right of suffrage. He ap-
peared at the polls and was driven
away by Democratic politicians He
returned later in company with friends
and demanded permission to cast his
ballot as an American citizen, in con-
formity with the rights guaranteed to
him by the Constitution. For this i'm
pertinence not only vas he attacked,
but the section of the town in which he
lived was attacked and before the mob
had finished its work Il dozen Negro
men and women had been killed, some
of them burned in their homes.
This is the cort of thing that is dis
crediting the United States and MAX
ing the Constitution and the laws
mockery. 1t is the sort of thing which
the Dyer anti-lynching bill will punish
in event the bill is enacted into law.
Mr.. Bryan may curry favor with his
newly acquired neighbors by his dem
agogic attack upon bill which has
for its purpose the upholding of the
law and the orderly procedure of the
courts, but he will not add anything to
his reputation among fair-minded, law
abiding citizens by his most recent
outbreak.