The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-09-08
ST. PAUL JUSTICE
URGES STAMPING
OUT MOB VIOLENCE
Spirit Carried Into Courts to
Save Public Officers,
Says Justice
MOB TENDENCY ANARCHISTIC
COnspiratOrs Assume to Fix
Standards of Conduct, De-
clares Speaker
Tribune Service.)

TlDuUe SeTVlcS.)
. Attorneys and jurists in the United
States were urged to make their in
fuence felt in Stamping out mob vio-
lence, in an address by Pierce Butler,
of St. Paul, associate justice of the
United States Supreme court, before
the joint session of the American and
Minnesota Bar associations in the
Minneapolis auditorium, Wednesday
afternoon, August 80.
Mob rule is not limited to the
streets, Justice Butler declared, but its
spirit is carried into the courts to awe
public officers, judges and jurors.
The St. Paul jurist's severe denun-
citation of those who attempt to take
the law into their own hands won
storm of applause from the hundreds
who packed the auditorium to hear
the address.
Mob Tendency Anarchistic
"The mob tendency" Justice Butler
declared, "is anarchistic and threatens
society. "Too often people attempt to
take the law into their own hands.
"That sort of thing occure in diff
ferent ways and more frequently now
than heretofore. No one defends or at
tempts to justify mob violence which
occasionally breaks forth in lynchings.
Few attempt to excuse that sort of
murder. Yet local passion usually
makes it impossible to convict lynch.
ers. The mob spirit is brought into
play to overawe and dominate public
officers, jurors and judges.
"In recent years there has come a
wave of conspiracies worse than those
that called forth the exercise of teh
power of congress.
Fix Standards of Conduct
"Conspirators assume to fix stan
dards of conducts and limit rights of
others, and in secret prescribe punish
ment, determine the fate of those
whom they wish to condemn. Their
domination of public affairs, public Of
fcers and courts by threats and in
timidation amount to a taking of the
law and its enforcement out of the
hands of it's lawfully constituted au-
thority. These things are anarchistic
and threaten society.
"They must be met in an orderly
way by the forces of law. These fore
es may be greatly strengthened by the
weight of intelligent public opinion.
The conspirators should be identified
and their crimes should be punished
according to law. Lawyers have spe-
cial obligations in respect to this.
Denounces Speech Influences
"The making of laws ought not to
be dominated by particular interests
or groups. Lawmakers are influenced
by powerful groups and, yielding to
pressure, pass laws and yet more
laws. Leaders for selfish organiza-
tions control large numbers of votes.
Domination by the sentiment of any
particular interest or group, whether
of capital or labor or other organiza-
tions, including few or many, is evil.
1t creates a feeling of class against
class. 1t invites legislative expert
ments to relieve people from their own
responsibilities.
Not Limited to Alien, Ignorant
"It is we'll known that there is
much agitation detrimental to public
welfare and good citizenship. Some
of it is directed against the present
order. It is not confined to the alien
and ignorant. In some of our colleges
and universities there is a good deal
of false teachings in the field of poll
tics and social science. Professors in
many instances spread discomfort
among the students. The things that
are good and essential to patriotism
are neglected and existing ills in po-
litical and economic conditions are
magnifed, and the constitution is
sometimes condemned as archaic and
by some of them it is believed that re-
ligion is a hindrance to social pro-
gress. Those who would tear down
are much more diligent than those
who support our form of government.
Considers Dry Law
"There is a purpose on the part of
many to demonstrate that laws which
are unpopular or unacceptable to
groups, occupations or particular
classes of business cannot be enforced.
This is not confined to laws regulat-
ing intoxicating liquors, but extends
to many others. Devices to violate the
law and escape prescribed penalties to
keep within the letter and thwart the
purpose are not less numerous than
formerly Widespread purpose to
evade liquor laws, tax laws, antitrust
laws, and many others is evident in
many places. The documents of the
courts furnish convincing evidence of
this. These things tend towards de-
struction of all law, and strike at the
safety of society"
Royal A. Stone of st. Paul, associ-
ate justice of the state supreme court,
presided at the joint meeting. He is