The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-06-29
PAPER OF COUNTY.
THOSE PETITIONS.

Two petitions, numerously signed.
ami requesting that the "whiskey
casesn be put over this term of court
on account of keeping farmers away
from their crops, were presented to
Judge Talcott aud the County AttOr-
ner. the first of the week. The coun-
sci for the defense, while disclaiming
auly part In the petitions, or any des ire
that they be granted, made elaborate
and rather over-earnest speeches,
dwelling upon the entire propriety of
such petitions, waxing red in the face
over the s.primary rights of man." the
H.butwarks of liberty" the importance
of the agricultural interest,"" aud ring
ing the old changes on the ready host
of trite generalizatiOns that come In so
pat on such occasions. These funda-
mental principles government SEEM
ed to appeal to the learned gentlemen
with sudden and peculiar force, Que
might well have thought the founda-
toas of government were lettering on
the brink of ruin, and that these elO-
auent gentlemen felt called upon to
throw themselves into the breach to
prevent an Immediate and disastrous
Downfall. There was i'm the speeches,
we say, flavor of impres siveness and
an excess of zeal that was quite remark
able in entirely "disinterested parties"
But for their solemn assurance to the
contrary one could have been excused
for thinking their clients really had
some interest ina the matter. After the
flood gates of taffy were temporarily
closed, the Court very properly said
that he had no power to do any thing
81, fla p,,ftar IF aifhnr rfv phsactnH
The learned counsel thereupOn impress
sively wanted it to be understood that
If these petitions were not regarded,
the responsibility must rest where 1t
belonged-with the County Attorney,
and not with them. 1t being put to
the County Attorney whether or not
he wished to proceed with the cases on
that understanding, he responded
promptly, "wc do, most emphatically,
your Honor''-which bit of plain En-
glish, after the gratuitous excursions
of the opposing counsel was refreshing.
And We say most emphaticaliy he was
right. We acknowledge that there
were many good names on those petit
tions-good citizens, good business
llen, good temperance men. But We
have occasion to know that the most
fragrant Misrepresentation was used to
procure many of them. And i'm pass
ing we must confess to some surprise
that men who talk about giving the
County Attorney "moral support" and
"bolding up his hands," should adopt
the very means most effective i'm ham,
pering him and making his work EN-
barassing and difficult. We realize,
too, and deplore the inconvenience and
loss to farmers, but on whom does the
responsibility of holding these jury
men and witnesses here day after day
rest? The state has promptly amour
ced itself "ready for trial" every time
the cases have been called. 1t has
been invariably met by the suave "if
the Court please" of the defendants
counsel, introducing some filibustering
technicality for the sheer and only
purpose of gaining time and, if posi-.
BILE, forcing the cases over the term OF
court. We do not object to technicali-
ties if upon them hang any of the SUBJ
stantial rights of the defendant. Nor
do we say that in this particular case
the points raised have not had some
foundation in strict legal construction.
But dilatory technicalities are the tao
tics of guilt. When everybody knows
that they are brought up, not as ne
cessary protection to the defendants,
nor to further substantial justice, bu
as subterfuges for delay and obstruct-
ion, and nothing else, it begins to
strike a layman that some summary
proceeding to set the clogged wheels of
Justice in motion would be highly in
order, and that fair play demands that
the y.snonsibility for Eaeninp farners
from their suffering crops, and for ..pil-
Ing up costs, should be placed where it
belongs. The only reason that we give
this matter SO much prominence is be-
cause those petitions were so numer-
Ously and respectfully signed. The
County Attorney is trying to do his
duty. 1t does seem to us that good
citizens forget themselves when they
virtually say that they esteem it more
Important that the corn crop should
.-ggregafe a few bushels more, than
hat the laws of the country shall be
upheld.