Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-18

noticeable that most of these who cannot
adjust their affairs so as to leave business
for a few days to do the people service as
jurors, find very little difficulty in absent
ing themselves for trip to a summer re-
sort, or time from business for absence that
will conserve their private interests and
pleasure.
1t has been suggested, and with some
force, that the pay of jurors is insufficient,
that it ought to be made 50 very much
greater that it will, in part, compensate
for absence from business; but in criminal
cases, increased per diem would invite a
class of professional jurymen, men depend
ent upon such service, and who, as a rule,
are unreliable and unfit to be trusted with
the liberties of their fellow citizens. In
civil cases, in addition to these reasons,
the greater fee would prove bar to poor
litigants, and practically shut them out
from the right to have their causes heard
and decided Besides, the class most
derelict in the matter of jury service, is
the class that would be very little, if at all,
affected by any possible increase in the fee.
The San Francisco Alta is inclined to be-
lieve that one reason why citizens evade
jury duty is properly to be laid at the door
of certain of the press, who make news
paper trial-ex parte at that-in advance
of the hearing in the Court the standard
for all after Judgment of the case. 1t says
A failure to find for plaintiff or defendant, or
to convict acquit at this journalistic bidding,
is followed by ruthless denunciation of the jury
or such of the jurors as could not be induced to
indorse these newspaper verdlcts. In TINS way
men of untarnished reputation, whose only
fault is that, regarding the sacredness of their
oaths, they have refused to allow themselves to
| be dragooned into finding verdicts which in
| their own opinion were not warranted by the
! testimony before them, have been held up To
| public scorn and contumely, denounced by
name and accused of selling their honor and
| their verdict for gold.
There is a good deal of truth in the ex-
preston. Such journals as are referred tc
| are harmful to society, and were it possible
consistently with the principles Of liberty
ought to be abated as nuisances. At the
bottom of all the i'll complained Of, and
chief cause of jury duty avoidance, is lacE
of conviction on the part of citizens of the
| ft-repeated truth that, Eternal vigilance
| is the price of liberty" There il
need to teach and preach among mer
that the security for all community
and individual rights depends upoI
the individual sharing the burdens
| of Government. We need to inculcat,
more thoroughly the fundamental trutl
that every man forever owes something t.
society, and that he who does not make
constant payment not only robs the pub
lie, but himself, endangers his persona
rights, and hastens the possible perioC
when he will appeal in vain for the assist
ance he now refuses to his fellows. Will
more of teaching in schools, press ant
pulpit of citizen duty-doing, there viii
come the time when deeper sense o
political and social obligations, and theil
consequent voluntary discharge will pre-
vail. In the meantime legislation SHOULD
keep before the eyes of men their duty
in this respect, backed by the severes
possible corrective penalty.
There will not be any material reform
in the matter effected speedily. The pres
ent generation will be pretty nearly gone
| before we can look for great advance III
this respect, for the evil has been of slow
and long growth and it is not to be eradi
Gated hastily. Men will not return t.
political duty-doing at a bound, but they
will return to it in time, for the system o
self-government will not fail until it;
destiny is fully attained it is now but ii
the early dawn of its existence.