Omaha daily bee., 1884-04-07
THE REMEDY.

ayhnlbJ bnS WisCdrIlaBS VI JuoViSS III Oih-
natl was only the violent expression of O
feeling that exists almost everywhere.
The same scenes might have been en-
acted in almost every city in the country.
Almost every locality has been exasper.
ated by the same shortcomings of the
courts. While deprecatingal all the violence
done, it has been hard for most people
to refrain from some feeling of sympathy
with the first indignation of the mob. A
long series of legal farces in all parts Of
the country have aroused a general ami
mostly against the courts. The last few
months have furnished too many in.
stances of the escapes of notorious Grim.
inals from just punishment. There
have been too many Berner cases
elsewhere az well as in Cincin.
natl. The same causes have produced
the same officers. Stupid %juries, incap.
able prosecuting attorneys. A trial sys'
TEN where every advantage is granted to
the accused, and the works of corruption
have been more or less observable every
| where.
The lesson Of the riots has, of course,
been made very plain long since. Az
other placeshave suffered from the same
disease as Cincinnati, other places will
watch with interest Cincinnati's remedies.
These are already taking shape. A bill
has already been introduced in the legis,
lature reducing the number of pre-emp,
tory challenges which a criminal may
have from twenty three to elk, 1t also
raises the number which the prosecution
may have from two to four. Perhaps il
would be still better if both were given
equal advantages in this respect. How.
ever that may be, it is plain that this steI
is an important and valuable one. Be.
sides this, bills are pending making a way
by which intelligent men can be admitted
to serve upon %juries. 1t is also suggested
that the time that must elapse between
the conviction and execution of a muir.
derer shall not be left to the discretion
of the court. At present it is arbitrarily
fixed at not less than one hundred days.
These are excellent reforms, so far as
they go. There is no doubt that the
challenging power has been i~mmoderate.
ly abused by ~unscrupulous attorneys.
The limitation of the evil will be great
relief. It is still more certain that the
constitution of the modern jury is a
great cause of wrong. 1t is hard to con.
slider any worse way of Providence than
to require the courts to search out the
most stupid and least intelligent men for
such duty. The absurd restriction
against men who have read about the
case in hand should be removed. How
is a mar going to be intelligent enough to
decide q cause wisely unless he
is also intelligent enough to be
well informed on all passing events
1t is high time that this relic of barbar.
ism should be dispensed with. 1t has
interfered with justice long enough. e
The only trouble with the Ohio rene.
dies is that they do not go far enough.
Besides what has been proposed, the
pardoning power of the governor should
DO strictly limited. There should be
prompt detection and punishment of men
who bride jurors. There should be some
regulation by which one ortwo obstinate
fools or corrupt men on a jury might not
be able to defeat a verdict. Above all,
that perennial source of delay and final
impotency, new trials, should be OK
tremely1 difficult to obtain. A morbid
sentimentality has thrown protection
after protection around criminals until
justice is defeated. These projections
should be removed. The criminal should
have a fair chance but no advantage.
Unless these safeguards for crime be re-
moved and the execution Of the laws
made possible, there may be worse
scenes than those witnessed a week ago
in Cincinnati.
Besides ali this, it may not be amiss
to remind tho public hat other reforms
will not be worth much unless the peo-
pie cooperate. AS long as officers to
deal with crime are elected on the ground
of merely political claims, or for merely
personal reasons, there will be little i'm
provement. These officers must be
chosen ON the ground of ability and in
togrity. First of all, the political shys-
tors and bummers must be swept out.