The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-04-17
LETTER FROM UNCLE JOsH.
FIDDLER's CREEK, Apri 6.
No. 10.
Editor Free Press:

ute much OF our success to our .fluca
tional system, but our business i,
managed by the older members Of the
IF F." Our colleges, of course are
recruited from our common schools
But the latter are not what they
were in the olden times. Our com
mon schools carry students up 10 the
plane of the old time colleges. 4 stu
dent graduating from the latter would
be prepared to enter our colleges: and
SO the graduates from our common
sohaols7if they choose, can enter on
hlghercdneatioh;, and be supported
as have already Explained. u
Our Judges are all appoinfedd bv
competitive examinations after mss NJ s.
ing three years in the law department.
OF our colleges. That ancient mons.
frosty, the ''jury SYSTEM" was abol-
ished years ago. 1t was the most
ludicrous burlesque of it's time. I'M
agine lot of old-time farmers, drag
ged from the pillow, and sitting in a
row on bench, and trying to follow
the lawyers, the latter using terms
and expressions, by the yard. and the
poor farmers trying to look as though
they knew all about it, when in fact
they knew very little of the meaning
of many of the words used. o, it was
immense-the lawyers contradicting
each other at every sentence, and the
jury looking on in wide-eyed wonder.
vainly trying to know what it all
meant, chosen in the first place be-
cause they knew nothing of the case.
The man who read the papers and
saw notices of cases, was barred, be-
cause he knew too much. O, but it
was funny-eXcept to the defeated
party. And then the wind up. the
funniest of all, was when the Judge
charged the jury what kind of a YER
dict to render, and woe to any Jury
who brought in verdict contrary to
the Judges charge. Why, Mr.. Good
win, 1t was the most StupendOuS hum
bug of the nineteenth century. If
the Judge must charge the jury. of
what earthly use was the jury? Judg-i
es and lawyers must have known of
the absurdity of the system, and must
have had many hearty laugh over it,
but it was a great institution with
the people, but jurieS are unknown in
our times. Suits at law are all tried
by Judges, usually three on the bench.
Men. having grievance go before
these judges and state their case, and
the defendant does the same, and the
Judges dispose of it in short order. It'll
IS unnecessary to employ a LAWYER
The judges know what is right and do
it, and what is more, the parties. in
suit know they receive justice ,un-
~
II wish you would tell me further
about abolishing State lines,n I re- /!
seems a strange idea. |
I GU know how strongly the Demo-
'rats uphold the old State rights
dea." ~ 9. a.f /
Yes" said Mr.. Lawrence chat
dea was born with the Revolution. |
Each State was jealous of it's suppos-
9d rights. They were Sovereign
States" and many people held that
Jheir first duty was to the State rath-
II than to the nation-but the Rebel
ion of 81 effectually disposed of that
dea, the nation proving itself strong
IF than the State, and the desire to
abolish State lines, is an
of that conclusion, and the
lay must come when State lines must |
give way to the Brotherhood of man.
There is a feeling springing up all
over the country showing that the
people desire to get closer together, |
An act that is crime in one State,
S no crime at all in another: and
people moving from one State to an
other must study up laws that are
new to them, and this is so much
wasted time. A law that is good
enough for one State ought to be good
enough for all the States. In short.
Mr.. Goodwin, we desire to wipe out
all sectional feeling, and as a gentle
man from Sioux City said many years
ago, I'VE are the people"-and SO we
are to-day. We want our wishes car
RED out. We no longer want politi-
clans to stand between us. Go where
you will in any State in the Union,
and talk with the people: you will
find their hearts in the right place.
The feeling is the same among the
farmers of the Southern States as it
IS in any of the Eastern or Western
States. Men naturally want to love
each other. 1t is according to the Di-
vine Injunction, and it is right-ever-
astingly right-and when men love
each other, they will do the right
thingrby each other; and these condi-
lions would obtain to-day were it not
for that accused of all accursed
things, the politicians. 1t is they
who stir up strife and enmity among
the people.
1t is they who make the Southerner
hate the Northerner. 1t is they who
i've and thrive on the prejudiceS they
engender among the people. 1t is
they who produce all the discord and
keep the people apart from each 9th
er. But by the grace of God, ''We are
the people, and by His help, we will
get together some day, and all men
shall call each other brother from
one end of the country to the other.
and our laws shall be the same. and
we will live together in peace and hap
piness, and prosperity"
II arose, extended my hand to Mr..
Lawrence, and without uttering a
word, passed out of-Paradise.
The Deacon had ceased speaking.
The day was well nigh spent, and
glancing out of the study window. I