The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-10-04
THE JURY SYSTEM.

For years the magazines and news papers have been discussing the question, must the jury system goI. No con- clusion seems to have been reached, for the deputy sheriff is still going around, tapping busy men on the shoulder and saying want you," while the man who is willing to serve his ocantry is some times shamefuily neglected. Why does our country persist in refusing the ser vices of able, heroic, seif-sacri6cing men Why not elect the jurymen5 In Arkan- saw, hundreds of good fathers and brave plow-boys almost free from the espion-
 age of an evil eye, are at last found and
 given taste of public life by being com pelled to serve for a short time in the case of State vs. Jackson-charge of hog steal ing. Do they go back to the brookside
 where the'bobolink twitters in delight at seeing the partridge hop through crack of the wheat field fence and dip up shining globules of water from the silvery stream? Yes, they go back, but are they eontentedf No. The father talks about law as he lazily smokes his cob pipe, and the son, while driving the team, names one of the horses Vs. and tbe other one State The peaceful farm has lost its charms
 The old fellow and the youngs,er crave public life. They want to sit in the court
 house and hear the lawyers talk. Such fate. After time of repining, unable
 longer to endure the removal from stirring scenes, no longer hearing those thrilling words, and you, gentlemen of the jury," they throw aside the rude tools of toll, and go to town. The lawyer who was so polite to them once, now merely
 mods his head. They have, indeed, fallen
 and loss of importance ever suggests its recovery. They speak to some man who is acquainted with the lines-knows the ropes-and ask his advice. He tells them that he will restore them to the pos session of their lost estate. Again they
 hear the thrilling words, "and you, gen. tlemen of the Jury," and again the state is vs. some fellow who lifted hog from its tranquil pen. An, the importance is en- trancing. He has never enjoyed the rep utation Of being a smart man. He has always felt this great lack, but while smart men talk to him and look into his eyes as they say "and you, gentlemen of the jury" he feels that the dark rim of lite was indeed turned to- ward him in the past, but now, oh, yes, now, he will show Jerry Jones and Miles Spillers and Jake Anderson and Bailey
 Jackson and the rest of them that after all, even though he didn't have no schoolin'," the smart men of the country respect his judgment and are willing to submit serious question to him. When he returns home, the place is more drea.y than ever. The lowing cattle, the squeal-
 ing pigs and eacsling chickens are not to him causes for enjoyment. He wants to be in the courthouse. The dog makes an aggravated assault on the young heifer and-well, everything is law. When the next term of court arrives he goes to town and hangs around, the lawyer by this time knows him and cultivates him, for they don't know but he can serve them good turn. He is summoned and when asked if he has any excuse, he says that he has none. More and more does he become infatuated. He knows not that he is becoming despised by honest peoole. Despised, why? Be cause he is willing to serve his country? Humph! Another step and he is known as a professional juryman. The deputy sheriff passes him unheejed and summons business man who storms and swears and wishes that the entire judiciary system was in the unreclaimed swamp lands. The poor aspirant and his lofty-minded son arc compelled to go home without having served. "Never mind," says the old man, we will have better luck next time. We gave satisfac- tion before and they'll soon wan, us again. They can't get along without us when they have an importan, case" Though he speaks assuredly, yet dread has settled around bis heart. Promptly when court is called the first morning of the next session, he makes his appear anoe, but the deputy sheriff passes him ] and nabs business man. This disap- pointraent is too much, and we dislike to leave him in this condition, but, gentle | reader-Sunday school paron-csernal
 truth must be written. He goes home drunk. Now, why educate a man to | serve his country and then topple him, like the Column Vendome, trom his ped