The Bozeman courier., 1926-07-23
CIVILIZATION PROGRESSES

Der for the first six months of 1925 21 less than
the total for the first six months of 1922, and u
less than for the same period of 1921.
Thus, since the latter year, lynchings have de- !
clined more than 83 per cent, which is indeed an
encouraging indication.
The victims of mob rule in 1926 included six
negroes, two whites, and an Indian. Seven OF
them were charged with statutory crimes, one
with burglary, and one with wOunding an officer
of the law Three of the executions occurred in
Florida two in Mississippi, and one each in Arkan-
sas, Kentucky, New Mexico and Texas.
The law, for all of it's imperfectiOns, still re-
mains civilizations principal weapon for self
protection. And when the people of this country
reach the point where, no matter what the pro-
vocation they let the law take its course we shall
have passed an important milestone
Assertions that the law is faulty both in con-
structOn and in operation do not affect the truth
of this statement. If the law is defective, the
correction of those defects is in own hands.
We grant that it will require time, courage, and
determination, but it can and must be done.
In this connection we take issue with no less
a person that Lew L. Galloway, chief justice of
the Montana supreme court In a recent address
at Livingston, Justice Galloway declared:
eve don't hang enough men these days.
If criminals were given the drastic punishment
meted out by the Vigilantes, instead of the mild
censure of our time, there would be but little
crime in America.
''If Chicago had such an organization as the
Vigilantes, that city would be much better off. !"
Justice Calloway's language is strong, and in
sOfar as the first two statements quoted are con-
cerned, we believe he is right. We assume that
when he recommends ''the drastic punishment
meted out by the Vigilantes," he means it should
be imposed, in an orderly way, through the courts
But when he asserts that Chicago where the law
is and has been in operation, would be better of
with such an organization as the Vigilantes,
we feel certain that he permits his righteous in
dignatiOn to override his sober convictions.
Most of us know something Of the Vigilante
and what they did for Montana. That they dis
charged, in a remarkably efficient way, and un
pleasant but necessary duty to society un
hesitatingy admit. But conditions were differen
then. In Montana in the early sixties the Law
was unknown. Each man was law unto himself
and the six-shOOter decided all sufficiently serOu
questions. In that elastic environment the bandi
and the murderer thrived, and no mans life 0
property was safe.
Something had to be done, and quickly. La
and order could not be established in the territor
until decent folk had been sufficiently freed frOl
the power of the criminal element to assert then
selves. Fear of the law, if not respect for it, hs
to be created. So the Vigilantes, the success
whose operations depended upon the swiftne
and the secrecy with which they were conducte
dealt with the situation. They did not take Il
law into their own hands, for there was no la7
What they did was the only thing that could
done - the only preliminary action that wou
instill fear of the law in the hearts of evildOel
They made possible the establishment of the Ia
in Montana. Then their task was finished.
The situation in Chicago may be grave, T.
law may be defective, and the courts may
failing in their duty to civilization. Yet the l.
and the machinery for it's functiOning ha
already been established there, and although tn
may be faulty they stand for civilization and
that it implies. Should we slip back hundreds
years by making use of a crude instrument
signed for far different conditions? Ought
to confess in despair, that we lack the ability
cope with the situation through the institutio
we have set up for that purpose, and resort
the secret tribunal, accountable to no one and wi
all its terrible dangers Of misuse of arbitra
power, to accomplish temporary correction I!
We do not believe we should The blame
Chicagos predicament does not attach itself
the concrete, fundamental principle of law, /
rather to the imperfect instruments throu
which it must be manifested and Co the peo
who permit such instruments To Be used Tf