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he Maryland Lynching.
i The lynching and, burning at tha stake of a confessed negro slayer at Salisbury, Maryland, threatens fo become a serious issue and be a vital factor in" the movement to wipe out the lynching stain upon our boasted civilization. The city and county "authorities have promised a sweeping probe of the affair. and Governor Ritchie has promised to make his own investigation. Ha has ordered the Attorney General to to see that a vigorous prosecution be instituted.
It so happens that the Maryland incident comes almost on the heels of the report made by the Southern Commission on the Study of Lynching. This body not only assembled a mass of facts concerning lynching, but also discussed what such things mean to the communities and to the Nation. The obvious results include "the crucifixion of law and government, the barbaric and de-; praved behavior of the lynchers and the untimely death of unconvicted people."
The report declares that indirect losses are really the greatest. The worst, of these is "the unfavorable publicity given, not only to the immediate community involved, but to the whole section. The press of other countries gives much space to these incidents. The United Stafes and especially the Southern States, are known throughout the world as the only ones that indulge in the dreadful practice." For this reason, and for many others, it becomes the solemn duty of the Maryland officials to sift this matter to the bottom and to see that the guilty are punished.
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