Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-05-21
Whoa! Emma.

lAOmluunlcdleN.l
 The new major domo, whom the Star has induced to abandon larger fields of labor to gather and guide and discipline the Dem1cratic horde of Arizona. will. unless We mistake the indications, be more likely to end with a stampede than with a successful rodeO. It is not his use of the gad to which tbe creatures object, for though it be steel pointed 1t is yet in kindly hands, which would rather menace than strike. But 1t is the side issues, the energetic gee-hawing and g-d d - z 10 which our Demo- cratic friends hereabOuts are unaccus- toned and to which, we opine, they will not tackle kindly. For instance, Arizo- na Democrats as n rule are honest, fair mindel men and good citizeas, and, with the exception of the mental kink which causes them to be Democrats, they are usually intelligent. We submit that their honesty, their sense of justice, and their sense of the duties ofgOod citizen ship must all be outraged by the extra ordinary, not to say indiscreet, course of the Star with respect to the Earps. The Earps stand indicted by the grand jury of Pima county for the crime of murder. Notwithstanding such indictment they arc for the purposes of theirtrill clothed by the law with the presumption 'f in BOcence. This presumption goes with them from the jail to the court house; 1t remains with them during the selection of the jury who Hre to weigh the evidence and hold the balance of life and death. Only a solemn verdict of conviction can lawfully remove this protecting mantle. and accursed of all just men shall be the hand that attempts unlawfully and pre- matureiy to tear il from their shoulders. What then is to be said of a newspaper, aspiring to be leading party organ, a newspaper published in the chief city of this Territory, published in q law abiding and law enforcing community, which daily fills its editorial columns with paragraphs assuming the guilt, and clamuring for the execution of men whose trial is vet to be had? Beyond the bare fact that Frank Stilwell was shot and killed in this city last April and probably by the Earp party, nothing is absolutely known. 1.-the Earps have any defence it will be the duty of their counsel to pre- sentit at the trial If we knew of their defence it would be almost as improper for us to present it here and demand their discharge, as it is simproper for the Star to assume their guilt and editorial ly clamor for a "necktie snciable." We conjecture that the editorials of the Star will greatly add to the cost and difficulty of trial, for the Star is not without circulation, and among minimizing men pungent editorial paragraphs preiuding the case of the Earps will not be without influence. Doubtless a consumption of several weeks of time and several thou sand dollars of county money will be the consequence of heefTorts of the Star to make the hanging of Wyatt Earp n Democratic party measure. But We have faith enough m the ultimate fairness and good sense of the mass of the Arizona Democracy to believe that increased expense to the county will be the only result of the present course of the Star, and that the Earps will be fairly tried and go either to a righteous acquittal or Q righteous doom as the jury may decree. Possibly in other and older communities the tactics of the Star might bring about different results. But the new vaquero will find that Democrats here are not tractable. Party organizations has been very loose m Arizona and any sudden application of an unaccustomed lash will be more likely to result in a smashed wagon than an increase Of speed. Politics in TJcson have never yet been carried into the counting room. the socIal circle, or the jury box, and we imlgine it will take good deal more ability and effect than the Star party has to bestow, to make Arizonans forget their duties of citizen ship, their love of far play, and their honest independence, in order to help the party-of the first part.