The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-03-09
Reforms and Reform.


The HERALD of Thursday contains let
ter written by -. i. T., in which the gen
tleman suggests certain reforms whose
adoption he thinks will advance our civil,
moral and social affairs. All relormers en-
counter difficulties and opposition, and
81. l.. IT, must share their fate.
Were the suggestions of ~. l.. T." as
good as his will we might so to work put
ting them into practice; but upon closer in
spection we find great difference between
the quality of the will aud that of the sug-
gestions. Take the first suggestion, con
~. l.. L" oilers2 First, q standing Jury of
twelve or fifteen persons, to be elected by
ballot. Where the improvement comes in
at this point it is rather hard to see. Con-
slder the suggestion as you will, the result
will be be that you find the good features of
our present system taken away and the
Objectionable ones left to remain. ~. L.
Us" second offer is to abolish iuries alto.
gether and to leave the trial OF causes to
three or four good Judges Where in
the world have We come to- Mr.. Editor, if
abolition of the jury system is. to be sug-
gestcd as q reform Trial by jury has ever
ileges of an American citizen. 1t is
one of the seven locks of the head
of the American Sampson. If you take it
away you begin to rob the young giant of his
strength, and Delilahs shears will soon put
him into the hands of the Philistines. But
-. l.. r." tells us that failures to execute
| the law often arise from the incompetency
or corruption of Jurors" Are incompetent
judges so scarce nowadays that we must
needs talk only of incompetent Jurors ?
And where are all the competent judges to
come from, if every single judge of to-day
is to be replaced by three or four others
good judges, of courscg Even as far as
competency to judge matters of fact
(the proper province of iuries), is concerned,
| l. for my part,a ready To take my chances
with an old-lashioncd jury.
But the corruption Does -. l.. IT,
really believe that corruption would leave
our shores if trials of causes were taken
from the hands of twelve good and true men
chosen from our fellow citizens by lot and
placed in the hands of three or four good
Judges? Are judges never corrupt? Many
4 page ofhiStory--and modern history al
that--muSt be blotted out if we are ever to
subject ourselves to such delusion. Why
was trial by jury ever originated if not iol
the purpose of protecting the accused from
may certainly be corrupted, but to abolish
the system on that account would be like
prohibiting all but pine frame houses
because brick houses with tin roofs some
times burn down. We have but to look al
the great number of cases decided by iuries
in order to learn that in spite OF all the
faults of our jury system II has worked
and still works as well as can be- ex
pectcd of any merely, human institution
When everything else becomes perfect
the jury system will also b. taultless. In
the meantime, | for my part, refuse to &C
cept the improvements offered.
Mr., l., T. hopes to lind salvation from
all civil moral and social evils in the edu
cation of the masses" The education |.
to comprehend the morals of Christ" fol
'cven Mr.. Payne says Christ's morals hav,
never been eXcelled." Mr.. Editor, | am ON,
of the old fogies who still believe that every
word of the Bible from Genesis to Rcvela.
tons was written by inspiration of God
But il there is anything oppose il is the
introduction of KS or anybody else S moral.
into the public schools. | am fanatic Tor
liberty OF conscience. II is the pearl for
which | am willing to sacrifice all other
privileges. | claim ii for myself claim i,
for every other human being, no matter
what his faith may be. And 1t is this pearl
of which -. l., T." unconciously proposes
to rob us by compelling our children to
learn what he calls "Christ's morals. ~
Suppose man like 7. Payne taught the
public school of my district, must send
my children to him for instruction IN that
which l regard as part OF religion be-
cause he says Christ's morals have never
been exoelledp What would become of my
religious liberty What would the. lsraolites
of Dallas say IL they We're TO be compelled
to commit their children to my care for
their moral education AFTER had acquaint-
cd them with my views Of the subject But
here comes ~. l.. T." and tells me lhe Is
speaking only of morals and not of creeds.
My friend falls into two errors. In the first
place, hc supposes that morals can be
taught without religion. A greater mis-.
take was never made. Not even history
can be taught without being
colorcd by the teachers relig.
ious views. Listen TO Catholic and
and TO n Protestant teacher discussing the
history of the sixteenth century, or hear
the opinions OF q Presbyterian and of a
High Church Episcopalian on the history
of the English commonwealth, and you will
SEQ that am right. How then are morals
to be taught without being shaped by the
teachers religious opinion, Il this Is no,
even possible with history Now ii the
compulsory education, In the morals Of
Christ" initiates against our liberty of con.
science. eveu III botl trachcr md s,hot..-