Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-17
Let the Law 10 Executed.
To the Editor Of tho EVENING STAR:

IN IHE STAR OF MOn0ay last, giving an &C
count Of the disgusting Burdine-Spaight affair,
it is stated, In substance, that the violators OF
the criminal law, after enacting dime novel
scene in the courtroom, were permitted to 20
acquit 1t Is not that this filthy case stands
alone as an illustration of the unwarrantable
responsibility assumed by our law officers that
desire to direct attention to 1t. but the case Is
referred to as one of the many, the almost daily
instances wherein the committing Judge, the
prosecuting attorney, the officer making an
perilled or property stolen. determines that
there shall be no prosecution. As In the Bur-
dine-Spaight case. where the evidence of viola
ton of law was clear the judge, In his discre-
ton, frequently lets the offender go aequit. Or,
the prosecuting attorney announces that he has.
for some cause satisfactory to himself, deter
mined that there shall not be q hearing Of the
case. Or, the person who has been knocked In
the head. 1t may be with deadly weapon, or
one whose property has been stolen, "compro-
misses the case" or refuses to appear" against
the criminal. Now, without attempting to
argue the matter, citing authorities to sustain
my points, beg to say, that In each Of the
afOre mentioned examples OK obstruction or in
reference with the operation Of the criminal
law, the iaw-abiding citizens are the sufferers
1t Is your right, it Is my right to demand that
violations Of the penal law be prosecuted and
the offenders punished, and neither Judge on
the bench, prosecuting attorney, nor prosecut-
ing witness has any authority to interpose to
prevent Q trial Of the person who violates the
law, no matter what the class or character Of
the crime The Judge IL In our place to hear
the facts and then decide; the prosecuting attor-
ney ia there to represent the public; the proper
officers are there to subpoena and compel the
attendance Of witnesses. We have the right to
exact the performance of all these services, and
to demand that trial be had In every case OF
violation OF penal law. SUGGEsTOR.
Change Of Hoars In the Departments.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
The proposition to increase the number OF
working hours of the clerks In the government
departments now pending before Congress,
needs only intelligent explanation in order to
receive the universal condemnation which it.
merits. The writer Of this, q physician Of large
practice among the class referred to, gives 1t as
the result of his twenty years experience, that
there Is no occupation more exhausting, or
more destructive to health and strength, than
that OF government clerk. A continuous
mental strain OF six hours in rooms filed with
an excessively vitiated and oyerheated air is
sufficiently destructive to the health and
strength Of the employees; but when it is pro-
posed to increase the number of hours to eight,
the effect upon their health must be irreparaBly
Injurious. A careful and intelligent observation.
convinced the writer that six hours per day,
accompanied by the deieterious air they q
compelled to breathe, constitutes the limit
endurance Of the clerks Ia the departments.
and that any addition to these hours viii
seriously injure their health, viii necessftste
frequent stck-leaxes Of short or long dura-
ton, and the daily additional work done
will be careless, Indifferent and Inaccurate
and therefore valueless. laborer telling trees.
or performing any other severe physical work
IN the open air, for tsoelDe hours per day, would
be benefited BY his work. His health and
STRENGTH would Increase In consequence Of M
because the exhaustion resulting from It would
be merely muscular, and would be more than
compensated by the accelerated respiration az
pure afr, the increased demand for and better
digestion Of nuSxitious food, and tho sound end
reffeGhing sleep which would result- But the
performance OF, In many instanea, severe men,
tal labor, without any corresponding muscular
exercise, In vile atmosphere, which cannot Be
changed or renewed, impatn the functions Of
all the organs. especially Of respiration and d.
restion. and renders sleep unsound and unre-
ffeshin9: in other words, IL lowers the stand
ard Of health and strength 70 very coasidernr
bic extent, and peoportionately dimiDishes the
capacity for prolonged exegtiOn-
ft n 10 be hoped that when this question !s
nnsiiv oousidered and decided BY Congress, It
mi s. done intelAgsBtly aad y . seaerous end
We manner, and that petty and narrow-minded
considerations win not influence the decisio0.
4 PHysbCxAx.