St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-14
MILITARY COURTS

1t is hardly worth while to be wasting
Our SympathieS on the victims of Rus
sian tyranny in Siberia, when atrocities
scarcely less horrible are being perpe-
trated every day here in our own coun-
try and under the sanction of govern
ment authority. When the GLOBE first
made the expose of the WILD case,
while there was a righteous indignation
throughout the country, still there was
q popular belief that this was an eXcep-
tional case, and that such unciviliZcd
methods as had prevailed in this in
stance were not recognized or gener-
ally practiced in the army. Subsequent
investigation, however, has undeceiyed
the public in regard to this matter. The
army is hotbed OF tyrannical usurpa-
ton, and instead of the WILD case be-
ing an exception tits the rule. Informa-
ton of most authentic character comes
from all the military prisons of soldiers
beng subjected to the same treatment
that Trooper WILD received, andin some
instances, even more severe and less
justifiable. On the strength of this in
formation the war department is now
considering plan to establish court
of general inquiry for the purpose of
bringing to light all the facts bearing
upon the system of court martial
established and conducted under
army discipline, with view Of
bringing about reformation and
securing a procedure in these
courts based on the principles of mod
ern jurisprudence. While the GLOBE
Endorses the general idea of instituting
court of inquiry, it does unhesit at
1ngly protest against having this court
constituted of army officers. The i'm
prOpriety of appointing army officers as
members of this court is too apparent
to require discussion. To do so would
be to convert the tribunal into a farce,
and the probable result of the investi-
CATION would be to whiteWash the eX-
listing system, and in measure perpet-
uate the atrocities that are now being
committed under the name Of military
Justice. Should court be con-
stituted, it should be a strictly i'm
partial one, and to that end it will be
necessary to appoint only civilians.
Possibly the best plan would be for
congress to take the matter up and i'll
stitute an investigation by the appoint
ment of committee of its own member
ship. Either that or the appointment
of a special committee consisting of
eminent lawyers. men who are familiar
with the principles of jurisprudence
and who know where and how justice is
to be obtained in strict accordance with
the ideas of modern civilization.
We are at a loss to know where
the army officers, or even the war
department, get authority for establish
ing military peniJentiaries. We know
that army regulations sanction the estab-
lishment of guard houses and places for
combining soldiers guilty of insubordina-
ton or OF petty Offenses against army
discipline. But under our constitution
and laws involuntary seryitude cannot
be inflicted, except as punishment for
felony. 1t is a well-known fact that
most of these military prisons are moth
ing more nor less than penitentiaries,
where the convicts are subjected to SOL
itary confinement and hard labor for a
term of years, and forced to undergo all
the humiliation and degradation i'm
posed upon felons. Possibly in ev-
cry single instance they are guilt
less of crime, never having vio-
lated, or even having been accused
of violating, the laws of the United
States or of the state or territory in
which they resided at the time of their
incarceration. Whatever trial, or So
called trial, they had was farce and a
travesty Oh judicial tribunals. The Of
Tense in most of these cases is the asser-
ton of right Inherent to every Ameri-
can citizen of refusing to perform me-
NAL service for some popinjay army
officer. This is all wrong, and should