The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-02
WOULD THEY oYsTEUcTr

In bis late annual report, which accom-
ranisd the Presidents last message 20 con-
gress. Acknowledgement Miller called atsen-
ton 10 gene Of the difficulties that interfere
with the administration Of justice In the
South In this connection be laid partic-
uIar stress On the fact that The enforce
usens Of the internal revenue laws is par
ticulariy resisted. and officers are fre-
aaenfIy met with violence and are oc-
casionalIy the victims Of assassination.
Although this IS VIGOROUSLY true, it is
egHsIly notorious that In many cases such
offenders not only go unpunished. but
quite often are not even brought 10 trial
Tais for the reason that local sentiment
does not condemn them, and they cannot
be tried in she federal courts Each such
ofense, according 20 the express language
Of the United States statutes, shall be
punished according TO the laws of the state
wherein the same Is committed"
This the attorney general very properly
regards Is an anomaly which requires cor
rection- He claims that the federal lav
should be $50 broadened as 70 make any
felony committed while in the act Of
violating any statute Of the United States
trishse in the United States courts"
Otherwise, be claims. the federal laws for
the prevention or punishment Of minor
oEenses '.in many districts viii have little
respect
The justice and wisdom Of these sug-
geStions would seem 10 require no argu-
ment 10 sustain them. To enact federal
Laws 20 which certain localities are hostile
or 30 the enforcement of which they are
81 least indifferent. and 10 require officers
10 execute those laws without other re-
course against violence than the local
communities viii afford, Is clearly unjust
and outrageous. Better repeal the revenue
izws than 10 leave the officers charged with
their execution az the mercy Of the COM
munisies II which those Laws are being
regularly and Systematically violated.
A case IN point has just arisen IN the
stxse Of Georgia a body Of men known
ss ''the blind tiger gang" were banded
together 10 resist the execution Of the fed
erzI revenue laws. They conspired to
gethG and assaSsinated the officers charged
with the execution of those Laws Seven
OF the c0nspiraiors were ideniihed and in
dicted, and I've Of them have been arrested.
Judging By past experience there is not
one chance IN q Thousand that they can
ever BE convicted in local court and by
> jury Of the locality. Amendment Of the
federal Law. as suggested by the attorney
general, zs the only alternative against an
infamous lapse Of justice, Is clear and i'm
r.erztIve
But this can only be effected by congress
sion2l legislation And Is IN the case Of
the elections bill il can be urged that such
amendment of the federal Law viii excite
and emhstter" AZ least q portion Of the
dominant race in the South. In meas
ure Il viii arouse sectional prejudices"
To some extent il might interfere with the
development Of the Illicit disfiIling indus
try Of that section. The question Is, would
the Democratic minority in congress feel
obligated 10 obxtruct the clearly needed
amendatory Iegislasion7 1t would be an
agreeable surprise 20 the country If the
Democratic minority would even 30 much
as divide on that proposition But there
is small probability that the country viii
be treated 10 any such surprise. Ii is safe
10 assume that ''on constitutional grounds"
they would be solid against such amend
ruar4