The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1956-11-10

It was good news for all law
abiding and freedom-loving citi-
zenS Of Florida to learn a few
days ago that Jesse Woods,
thought to be another lynching
victim, was found safe and alive
in Alabama. Let us hope and pray
that the door and walls of the
Florida State Prison at Raiford
are stronger than the ones at
Wildwood, if Mr.. Woods is to be
kept in true protective custody,
when he is returned to Florida.
Let us also remember the words
of Governor Collins commenting
about this case: "Jesse Woods was
kidnapped while in the custody of
the law. This not only violated his
rights but violated the rights of
the people of Wildwood and of
the state of Florida" 1t is time we
learned this lesson well and learn
it thoroughly. We cannot violate
the rights of any one of us with
out violating the rights of all of
us. When man throws himself
upon the mercy and protection of
law-enforcement officers and asks
for Safe-kee2ing from an unruly
mob, he has right to have this
protection. Otherwise law be-
comes hollow mockery.
believe that the wildwood
case has served to open the eyes
Of many Floridians. Floridians
have right to expect both white
and Negroes protection from vio-
lence when they ask it from their
law-enforcement officers. Other
wise our law becomes a sham and
diShonor falls upon all of us who
purport to be law-abiding citi-
zenS. We must not take the law
into our own hands; we must re-
spect it. Our law and law-enforce-
ment officers will hold our re-
Spect and honor only if it is de-
served. Mob rule is not law and
is only deserving of contempt. We
are supposed to be civilized-let
us try to live as human beings,
and not as primeval Savages.
From Jackson, Mississippi
comes word that a threat by the
Department of Justice to prose-
cute in cases where Negroes have
been denied the right to vote,
drew angry replies from Missis-
sippi officials, including Governor
J. P. Coleman, State Atty. Gen.
ice Patterson ordered MISSISSIPPI
pi election officials to keep their
records secret. Patterson is re-
ported to have admitted to daily
newspaper reporters that voter
registration records are public
documents, but said he did not
believe the records should be
available to "just anyone" in
GLIDING FBI agents.
Circuit Clerk j w. Daniels of
Jefferson Davis county is quoted
as saying: ''No one has been re-
fused the right to vote because of
race or color. They have been re-
fused because they have failed to
qualify under the laws of Missis-
slppi." The catch is that the 1855
legislature amended the constitu-
ton by establishing more severe
qualifications for voter regiStra-
ton. These include an interpreta-
ton of a section of the state con-
stitution to the satisfaction of the
circuit clerk. Citizens who had
been on the rolls under the old
law were required to re-register
and thousands of Negroes were
wiped off the books by registrars.
Others were frightened off by
threats of bodily harm or loss of
employment.
Next Sunday, Nov. IL, the Dade
County Council of NAACP
Branches will hold a mass meet
ing at 3 pm. at Mt. Tabor Baptist
Church, the Rev. J. N. Byrd, pas
tor. This will be the first NAACP
mass meeting since our State Con-
ference, and it should be a most