Gun Control - 1909

Just after the New Year in 1909, January 3 to be exact, the Indianapolis Star published the attached article concerning gun control. While there were no assault weapons aside from Gatling guns the focus was on the ready availability of easily concealed pistols. The logic of this argument was that if such lethal weapons were not so readily available many of the murders of the time would not have been commited. Specific examples of such crimes that had occurred recently are cited.
 
Wherever you stand on the current debate on gun control I thought it was interesting to see essentially the same issue discussed in the media of the early 20th Century. While this topic has no relevance to motorsport history, it is another of those items that helps me understand the context of the times I am writing about. The culture, the language, politics and prevailing attitudes (such as almost ubiquitous racial bigotry) help me understand the atmosphere that very much influenced the decisions of leaders of the day.