Wichita eagle., 1889-03-13
JUDGE GUTHR!E'S CHARGE.

sembling of the district court today Judge
John Guthrie delivered lengthy charge
to the grand jury, detailing and instruct
ing them in their duties concerning the
prohibitory liquor law. The judge charg-
ed as follows:
ut is made my duty by law to call your
attention to what is commonly known as
the prohibitorv liquor law. The expert
ence of the past has abundantly demon
strated that to secure an efficient admins
tration of the enforcement of this
class of legislation for the protection
of the inhabitants of the state
these laws must be enforced in good faith
according to the letter and spirit. There
is no middle ground for officers of the law
and juries to occupy, and either every Of
Tense of this kind must be speedily pun
ished or there is no boundary for its viola
tons. The state has the rightful power
and it is its highest duty to enact all need
full laws tor the protection of the lives and
health of its citizens, for the protection of
society against immortality and vice. 1t is
the duty of the state to enact such laws as
may be best to protect the weak as well as
the strong against the temptations of vi
cious tastes and habits to stimulate habits
of industry, sobriety and virtue, and to
prevent and restrain the husbands and
fathers from wasting the fruits of their
industry and toll for intoxicating liquors,
so that the families of the state may be
better fed and clothed and educated. Such
are the purposes of the laws Of the state
forbidding the sale of intoxicating liquors
except for mechanical, medical and scien-
tific purposes. The law has so far accom-
piiShed all that was expected of it. [
think it is almost universally conceded
by those who are in position to know
the truth. There has been, it is true, an
occasional attempt by persons to evade
the law by clandestine or secret methods,
but all such persons have been speed
lily arrested, tried and punished by
fine and imprisonment and their
unlawful goods destroyed. The great
diligence of the county attorney, sheriff
and other officers charged with the duty
of enforcing the law of the state against
public offenders, and the honor and integ-
rity Of grand and petit jurors in the dis
charge OF their duties have 80 cryStalIzed
public sentiment in the direction of law
and order, that this court has almost been
relieved from the trial OF cases arising I'M
der the prohibitory law. as well as the
other criminal laws of the state"
In view of the approaching city election,
Judge Guthrie refers in his charge to the
enormous amount of money now being
spent here for public improvements and
the temptation thereby presented for col
fusion and fraud among public officers.
He urges the jury to use every endeavor to
discover and punish irregularities of this
character, On this point he says:
Frequent illusions are made in the
public press and on the street TO the
bribery of public officers and others. The
statutes of the state have made provisions
for the punishment of persons guilty of
bribing all manner of public officers,
whether elected or appointed The law
also Furnishes persons who bride persons
n NAL lad IN q oil 'ha
man holding public office who directly
or indirectly takes or receives any consid-
Grafton or benefit from another for the
purpose Of influencing his official action
is regarded by every code of morals
as a criminal, and an enemy
to the peace and repose of So
ciety. The perpetuity and stability
upon the intelligence and integrity and
virtue of those intrusted with the elective
francise, and the honesty and integrity OF
those intruSted with the management and
care of public affairs. If this is granted.
then every man who sells his vote at the
polls or in public Office is an enemy OF
American institutions. The pages of
history fail to record the life of a state
whose life, prosperity and glory did not
depend on the Intelligence, integrity and
virtue of its rulers. The taxpayer bears
the heavy burden of taxation, little
suspecting that the money that is
being wrung from him is stolen
by municipal officers as the plumber
ing goes on by men occupying public
trusts, until the robbery is discovered, and
then the fury of public indignation fol-
lows and in all such phenomenal disturb
ances public sentiment is not appeased
without victims. Convictions follow on
slight circumstantial evidence. The ex-
perience of the past abundantly shows
that the transition from public composure
to the jury of public passion is but step
| trust that this community may ALWAYS
be spared a crisis of this character. but we
may not hope to escape such misfortune
il Won and others Entrusted with
the administration OF law fail in this