Show j to d r ih h y j r Lynching 4 RECENTLY there has been a mass meeting of citizens in Boston to protest against the practice of lynching which is becoming such a common thing in some parts of this nation Negroes and sometimes others believed to be guilty of crime are taken by ty mobs tortured hanged or even burned alive It may be argued that they receive only their just dues as the crimes which they commit are so heinous Admitting that in every case the persons thus treated are guilty and that the punishment they receive is not too great for the offense there is still something radically wrong Lynching is a breach of law it is a crime and it is looked upon as such by the civilized world That such lawless practices go on here apparently unchecked unchecked unchecked un un- checked is a reproach to the American people Why is it that mob law is resorted resorted resorted re re- sorted to Are the penalties fixed by byla bylaw bylaw la law w not severe enough Or is it uncertain uncertain uncertain tain that our judges will administer justice to the offenders If the fault lies in the law then it is the duty of our legislators to increase the penalties If death is the just recompense for a given offense then let death be fixed by law lawas as the penalty for that crime If the judges are not trustworthy in administering administer administer- ing the law then the people are at fault for they elect their own judicial officers officer as well as their own legislators The making and enforcing of just laws is an outgrowth of civilization but when the Constitution and the laws of the nation are trodden under foot by bythe bythe bythe the defenders of mob-law mob it looks looks' as though we had not yet emerged from the darkness of barbarism This nation has become noted for its free institutions and for its great advancement in modern inventions but the knowledge of the the numerous cases of lynching that occur annually has also gone abroad and the American who travels in foreign countries countries countries coun coun- tries not un frequently meets with the reproach that the United States is not notable notable notable able to enforce her laws Although an American is generally respected by foreigners there have been exceptions to this rule and that because citizens of European countries while residing here have been deprived of the right of trial by jury and have been the victims of the savage practice of lynching We have a notable instance of this in the case of the New Orleans trouble a few years ago when certain I Italians were forcibly taken by a mob and put to death Italy was roused by this action and the anti-American anti feeling ran high in the II boot For a time American tourists in Italy were treated with far less respect than had been cus- cus tomary ternary They were even sometimes received received received re re- with a sneer An American sailor was killed while making a call at an Italian seaport bombs were thrown under the United States con consulate at Rome and many other indignities were suffered by Americans all because of the inability or indisposition of our own country to enforce her laws This case is cited not to justify the Italians in their spirit of revenge that was wrong too but to show that this evil practice leads to greater wrongs The maltreatment maltreatment maltreatment maltreat maltreat- ment of Americans in Italy was the natural outcome of the injustice that Italians received in America We may well b be proud of our free institutions and especially of the Constitution Constitution Constitution Con Con- which grants liberty and equal rights to all but let not the American people become so wrapped up in this feeling that they cannot discern the dangers that confront them and the evils that should be corrected Our national charter guarantees protection and the right ight of a fair and im impartial partial tri trial l to all Every time a man is lynched it is done in in violation of the Constitution We may may well pattern after some of the old monarchies in one thing thing the the enforcement enforcement enforce enforce- ment of law It is the du duty ty of every American citizen to proclaim against these abominable practices and to use his influence in favor of enforcing strict justice and that based on the law of the nation or of the state It is a glorious thin thing to be befree befree befree free but the freedom of mob-law mob will lead to slavery Outside of law and order there is no freedom |