The record-union., 1893-06-30
WHAT ARE WE COMING Tos

WHAT ARE WE COMING TO?
The time was when an American court
was invested with much dignity, and the
ethics of the bar held lawyers well within
the common proprieties in their conduct
in public. But it would seem from a
trial now progressing at Fresno that we
have degenerated until criminal case in
court is either little more than low
comedy, or little less than disgraceful
tragedy.
The courteous demeanor, the dignity,
the pride in the profession that once
made lawyers gentlemen at all times and
sorupulous in the observance of the
courtesies of the bar, appear to be of no
more effect. Such scenes as have dis
graced civilization-if the newspapers
are to be at all credited-in the McWhir-
ter-Heath murder trial tend to drag
down an honorable profession and in
splre for it only contempt among men.
The true, self-respecting advocate is not
the rough for coin: when he let's himself
out for such service he ceases to be an ad-
vocate and becomes a bully. The Chinese
hire their fighters; how much are we
in advance of them, if our lawyers per-
NIT themselves to be rented out to bully
rag browbeat, threaten and libel wit
nesses and opposing counsel?
What are we coming to, when attor-
neys arm themselves with pistols and
knives instead of books and gentility
when they enter a courtroom? What is
the state OF society when, on angry words
passing, score or half a score of men
rise up in the courtroom with their
hands upon deadly, secreted weapons,
ready to begin shooting right and left,
and the court finds it necessary to order
the Sheriff to disarm the people as they
enter his courtroom thereafter? Has it
come to this, that we are to 60 about
armed to the teeth nowadays, ready on
the instant to resort to brute force in as
sault or defense?
1t would be better far that we return
10 the olden times when every gentle
man carried his sword and had his
poinard in full sight at his girdle. If we
could lay aside the pistol to-day and sub
slitute the blade at the hip, we would have
fewer tragedies, less sacrifice of human
life and fewer disgraceful scenes in court
As it is, every Ioafer and rough in the
land violates the law and carries con-
cealed weapon. The decent, law-abiding
citizen goes unarmed, and hence is at the
mercy Of the rascally, who may insult
and assault him with impunity. A few
good men, because of special exposure,
procure from police authorities permis-
sion to carry arms, but if there is to be
arming of the roughs regardless of the
law, it will be best to repeal the statutes
and ordinances against carrying con-
cealed weapons and let it be understood
that every man is ''heeled" against his
neighbor.
1t will then be unnecessary for a court
to order the spectators at trial, the coun-
sci and the jury to be searched for weap-
ons. Indeed, the counties under such a
system, to which we seem to be rapidly
drifting. should furnish the court with
a few dynamite bombs at hand on the
bench, and the jurors in their box with
repeating rifles. Contempts Of court and
disobedience to court mandates under
such state OF affairs could be easily and
efectually settled and punished. AS for
the attorneys at the bar, such as appear
in these days to have fallen to the level
OF hired fighters and wranglers for coin.
if they Will go armed and blot each other
out, the world will not be much the loser.
When the traditians and heritage of a
noble profession no longer serve to make
its representatives so proud Of it that
they will die rather than disgrace it by
an ungentlemanly act or an unseemly
word, it may well be concluded that the
time has come for draping in weeds the
statues of the lofty geniuses and great
gentlemen who have grsced it in the past.
The simple fact is that there is not
crossroads debating club in the back
woods wherein such conduct, language
and general demeanor would be tolerated
Tor moment as appear to prevail in the
AcWhirter case at Fresno. If it has come
to this that the rights of defendant ac-
corded TO him by the laws cannot be
maintained through orderly and gentle
manly procedure, and dignifed and re-
spectful court proceedings, then it We're
better TO blot out the whole judicial sys-
tenn on the criminal side and go back to
the dark ages for patterns of magistrates
and for methods of ascertaining guilt and
protecting innocence.
WILL WE ACTs