The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1889-12-28
NOT ABOVE CRITICISM.

says: "The supreme court has decided
on appeal that Sandy Olds, convicted
of murder, should have new trial,
and we see some of the papers of the
state criticising the decision. We do
not consider this by any means fair
journalism. The opinions of the su-
preme court are not above examina-
tion or beyond criticism. Every pub
lie utterance by public officer is,
under our system, open to examina-
tion and criticism by press and people.
But the TINES Es-MoUNTAINEER says:
every unfavoraole criticism Of the
judgment of the higher court implies
that Sandy Olds is guilty OF murder
and should be hanged" With great
pertinence it might be asked, who that
knows anything about the case doubts
that he is guilty and should be hanged?
Who, that is to say, except gang of
gamblers in Portland, portion of the
police force of the city, and two OR
three lawyers Of the class who, for
money, can always be engaged on the
side of crime and against law, justice
and the interests of society," Is it to
be supposed that the two members of
the supreme court who have ordered
new trial know better whether Olds is
guilty of murder or not than the court
and jury that tried him, heard all the
testimony and found" him guilty.
Reverence for law is continually
invoked as shelter for the sharp and
immoral practice which constantly
attacks and often defeats both law
and justice; and this sharp and i'm
moral practice is constantly enlisting
solemn public stupidity on its side
and filling its mouth with round
phrases in support of the pretense that
its methods of obstructing justice and
preventing the punishment of crime
are the safeguards of society. Men
who can be hired and are hired every
day with the proceeds of crime to de-
fend crime are voluble in their pro-
t-stations that they "want justice"
and declaim against public expressions
that would 'create prejudice" against
crime and criminals. That is their
trade. They pursue it to make
money; and great part of their skill
is expended in getting class of peo-
pie TO humble with reverence the
phrases under which they ply their
vacation.-Oregonian. We believe
in giving every man fair trial before
his peers, and for that reason cannot en-
d d,rse the policy..of any journal in at
tempting to prejudice the minds of any
juror for or against any person who is
on trial for heinous Ofense. 1t is
not journalism-it is not fairness, and
is not the plan that one citizen would
conduct himself toward another in any
Of the business or social relations of
life. The newspaper Is, as the name
implies, gatherer Of news; but its
province is not to usurp the mission of
courts and juries. If it does Lot be-
lieye that juries do exact justice, let it
advocate the abolition of this relic of
Auglo-Saxon barbarism. But while
the jury system is in vogue it has no
license to bend the jurors, by infuenc
cling the public mind, to its own ideas.
Sandy O,ds is to be tried again for
killing Weber, and every man sum-
moned as juror should have his mind
as clear as possible from any feeling
for or against the prisoner. This can
not be while leading exponent of pub
lie opinion, like the Oregoniam, takes
sides for or against the criminal. We
know nothing of the facts in this case.
and are perfectly willing that Multi
nomah county jury should decide on
them. After the trial is over, and a
final decision is reached, any news
paper has right to criticise the ver-
dict; but until that final decision is
reached, it is not becoming that it
should turn its columns into court
and trial jury and pronounce the man
guilty or innocent. In the many
years we have published paper in
The Dalles we have carefully avoided
publishing anything which would in
fuence the mind of a single juror fer
or against the defendant; but after the
verdict has been given, has never
spared court or jury in any thing we
was not subservlent to the
best interests of the community. We
have the greatest respect for our highly |
esteemed cotemporary in its enterprise
as metropolitan journal; but cannot
endorse the course it pursued in the
Gibbs case before and after the arrival
of Judge Gibbs, and in the trial
Of "Sandy" Olds before jury
was inpanelled, and after the de
,ision had been reversed and sent
Jack to the lower court for a new trial.
If there is wrong suffered in the COM
nunity without redress in any law
;ocrt, the journal, as the conservator
# public morals, should battle man
.ully for the rights of all; but where
he statute has provided an ample
the province of journalism is
o let justice take Its course, without
my attempt to prejudice the public
or or against any person.
The Tribune, Leasure's organ at
'endleton, is very much disappointed
'ecause its pet was not appointed U.
!. district attorney, and in q burst OF