JUDGE LYNCH AND HIS INFLUENCE meets death at the hands of a mob “Served him right!” and how many others think it who do not say it! Suppose it did serve him right, are we to make our punishments merely a means for taking vengeance or are they to be a means for protecting society? Are we to say “Vengeance is ours, we will repay?” The question is ' ‘ Did it serve society right ?’ ’ Did it not rather encourage the uneasy and disorderly elements among our people to seize and to hold the reins of power on slight provocation and to drive on to anachy and ruin. When press, pulpit, and platform unite in one loud vigorous protest against these outrages; when public opinion refuses to sanction lawbreaking in any form; when our juries can be made up of intelligent and thoughtful citizens; when criminals suffer at the hands of the law penalties commensurate with their crimes; when we can look to our courts for prompt and full justice and to our executives for complete enforcement of the law: then and only then must this gaunt spectre which is stalking so threaten ingly over our land depart and then will come that deeper respect for law and order which is the only thing that can protect society from violence. In fancy I see two great powers awaiting to assume control over us; the one, vengeance,—cruel, vacillating, and uncertain; the other justice,—strong, vigorous, brave, unflinching,—ad ministering to all, rich and poor, great and small, with a fair and impartial hand. It-remains for us to say which shall be our master. International difficulties invariably call forth astonishing out bursts of patriotism but let us not deaden our senses to the leeches which quietly but surely sap our national life. Det us see to it that the stars and stripes of that glorious emblem around which hover so many soul stirring associations, —that banner which has so proudly floated above the heads of our gallant American marines while they “remembered the Maine;” let us see to it that that flag floats not only over the land of the free and the home of the brave but over the land of the just and the home of the law-abiding. Dan Ellsworth Carpenter, ’99.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers