The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-25

In cur last Issue correspondent In.
auires, .what shall We do when the iaw
faiIs7'' and asks juriss 10 answer the
question. II does not need . iurist 10 an
sser IT, Ehen our state MAKES its laws IL
must abids by them. The ballot belongs
20 ~ all We elect oas own legislators and
our own judges under no campulsion from
anybody: We have no star chamber eoarts /;
We delegate eur powers Of life and death
and the rights Of liberty and property 20
our legislature and our courts; IL we do
not find our laws satisfactory. or our pros
eeutsng officers xealous, or our judges
worthy, We must unmake them ~ We
made them by s~sorsing 20 the ballot box.
We cannot take the anarchieai position
that 20 long - tho crowd 10 pleased with
the laws and the conduct Of the courts We
will respect the laws and the courts: when
they ara not satisfactory to the crowd then
the crowd will treat the Law and the
courts with coatenps and revert to
mob Ias This 10 To pat every Judge,
every jnrymsn. every prosecuting off,
Ger under duress: IL is saying
10 them We win not anmaks orr maehin-
cry of public justice By the same solemn.
deiiberative methods hy which il was
created; we will unmake ii or correct It at
our own sweet wall or by resort to vio-
lence.
Who made the laws of the state OF Wash.
ington: created its constitutional conven-
ton; elected It's legislature ut the ballot
box7 Surely the people Of the state of
Washington; not simply the people of
Seattle. who are bat fraction Of the pso-
pie OF the sta.e. just ss the 1900 persons
who stnrrned the jail Mt New Orleans were
bat fraction Of the people Of Louisiana
and bat . reckless faction of . city of
$4,000 persons.
A people who are no. willing TO abide by
the laws they make and the courts they
create except when the laws and the courts
please them. are not a people ct for free
government A people Ct for free govern
ment do not resort TO mob Law: they re-
form their courts and Yecast their laws by
the same methods through which they
we're originally crea.ed-through the bal
lot boz At which We choose our lawmakers
and our courts.
TO correct our own biunders OF staute
Law and It's adminis, ration by violence 10
IN act of utter folly. Bester a thousand
times that thu lawful machinery of human
Justice should fail occasionally through
'aiirmiiy Of administration than resort to
mob law, which in tho long run never
does any good. for IL polsons the mind OF
the people by vicious object lesson that
courts are Instituted and laws 10 ade only O.
he tsampled under foot except when the
mob ratlfies iia administration.
III IL Is proper 10 take q mans life by
mob law i; Is proper 20 eoufiscate bis
property or rob him OF his liberty in con.
tempt of the courts. For the abuse of the
powers We delegate - courts and legssia.
sures We must hold eoart. and legislatures
responsible by eleesing other legislatures,
other courts and other prosecuting officers
bat lynch law Is not only wrong PER s<,
but 10 10 tne worst possible public policy.
Where do We tna the mos, lawless.
ness. the most murder and erimes In
those very states where mob law is mos,
common. Naere do We find life. liberty
aud property most .ecnres la these
states where mob law il una Gown.
In Eagland. which IL one OF the rree.s
countries on the globe mob Law is almost
unknown: shooting ARRAYS are unknown
arbitration by the pistol is unknown.
Whyf Because the people understand
distinctly in England that il Is not safe to
lynch anybody: they understand dis
tinctiy that while a man may horse hip a
fellow Who insults him. ar has an intrigue
with Ills wife. be cannot safely murder
him. Lord Ferrers. an kngllsh noelemsn.
sn the last century, killed his servant tn q
1T Of passion and WAS hung for Ia. Rsr.
DIR. nodd. a scholar and clergyman of the
Church ~ England. committed . forgery
and was hung for II, just as Ms.sschnseis,
hung one Of The faculty OF Harvard col.
isse, pr. Webster. for murder in 1850.
1t is IN sober communities where lynch
Law and arbitration By the pistol are ne,
sessssseds where lite. liberty and property
ore most secure. and il is where mob law
10 most frequently resortes. 10 that We eud
the least security Tor LIE. liberty and prop
sssy under lsw, Tor lynch las oaly make.
matters worse by ss.eh:ns the p~opls 10
think lightly % lss and order and ,he
powers solemniy delegated u legislatures
end courts by the whol. peorIe. no, sy
any fraction or fsesiaa og she rsof,le
Two wrongs never make sixh, And
there il riSht way for .rea f.eop.e To re-
form their courts and prosecutors. rec..,
thelF laws, aud that il By iae ballot DO,
Ii the pseple are net willing aai ready -
reform the administration in sA,s ssy thea
shes arc Incapable % self-FessrA.nt aud IN.
81 tor free government iflYaea law i.
degeasihls Why not make sad oamsks
constitutional conventions. make ,egis.a-
surss, elect judges aud prosecutors by Q
esagaot et yosces ca every village greeuf
4 wisesFraage Of legal justice through the
tn1rni4sy 81 Iss administration, because
lava asa ieoss, judges weak, Iarss pssia.