The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-07-03
TWO OPINIONS.

Below We give the outspoken and
manly opinion OF Col. Martin, editor Of
the Atchlson Champion, whom the EN-
poria Republican, in its blind, make
believe zeal for prohibition, has chArac-
terizedkas q whiskYite, anti prohibition
list, ETC., on the pardon Of Governor
Click of SIX criminals who had been con-
victed OfViolation of the prohibition law.
In contrast with his article we quote
extracts from the pharisaical Republi-
can on the same subject, and we want
our readers TO particulasaY note the
utterances of the two papers the latter
pretentious prohibnionist. We quote
the Champions article:
THE SALIVA PARDoNs.
Governor Click may gain some votes
among the saloon element by his action
in pardoniDg the Salina saloon keep ers,
but he gains them at the expense Of his
reputation as q lawyer, and that Of 9
chief magistrate sworn 70 maintain the
constitution and the laws Of the state.
These Salina saloon keepers conscious
ly, willfully, and repeatedly violated the
law OF the state. There is no doubt
about IL. Governor Click himself does
not dispute that fact. He knows they
sold liquor, knows they did 1t willfulIy
and knowing the penalties tor violation
of the law; he knows, too, that they did
this for money, the most ignoble Of mo-
tlves, yet he pArdoned them. He does
not pretend they were innocent, or that
there IL any doubt Of their guilt
AS an excuse for this conduct he is
obliged to set up that the judge was
partial" that the jury was "packed,"
that improper testimony" was admitted.
In other words, that Judge Prescott
and County Attorney Moore, and the
assistant prosecutor, Mr.. Carver, were
three rascels, and the witnesses in the
case peTiurers. Yet, with all this, the
governor does not venture TO say that
the accused were not guilty; he knows
very well they were. He docs not say
there was reasonable doubt" of their
guilt He knows very well there was
no such doubt.
The governor in this matter has dis
played his Unborn disposition to NEEDLE
In everything. and TO set up his superior
capacity to run things" To help few
law breakers out of = scrape and make
himself solid with their friends, aiders
and abettors, he has interfered TO him
der the due course of law; cast an i'm
putation on honorable men; showed
himself the swift necessary and super
fiuous advocate of criminals, and made
himself ridiculous generally.
Now read the Characteristic shut
fling two-faced and weak expressions OF
the Republican which are more of an
apology for Click than anything else:
THE WHOLESALE PARDON.
The action OF Governor Click in par
doning SIX convicted saloon keepers at
Salina, has brought down upon him very
bitter censure from the Topeka Capital
and other papers which are urging the
nomination OF On sntI-prohibitionist as
the republican nominee tor governor.
|
In the contradictory condition OF the
testimony IL would be somewhat pre-
sumptuous in US, not having read ali the
Information bearing upon the Gaze, to
express an opinion as to the controversy.
On general principles 1t is fair to assume
that the defendants, selected for prosecu-
ton out of q number indicted, were
guilty of violating the prohIbitory law,
and that somewhat extraordinary meas
ures had to be resorted to by the court,
as we'll as the prosecuting attorney, to
eyer, to see that the governor has, as
the Capital alleges, usurped
any unconstitutional authority. He is
clearly vested with discretionary author
ity TO pardon even condemned murderers
and at his discretion even the heinous
crime OF selling liquor.
1t must be conceded that Governor
Clicks pardon of the Sallna saloon
keepers is within the pale of his consti
tutiOnal prerogatives.