The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-03-21
THE DALLAS COUNTY GRAND
JURY MEMORIAL.

There is no more intelligent inspira-
tion for the action Of the legislature than
the voice of the grand juries of the coun-
ties of the state. Grand juries are COM
posed of the most intelligent men OF the
counties. selected for their high charac-
fer and love of law and order, men more
Invariably interested too, by the posses
sion of property and growing families.
II is a very rare thing that the member
of legislature surpasses the average IN
telligence of the grand jurymen of his
county. Especially is it the case that
these grand jurymen are more familiar
with the code Of criminal procedure than
men of equal intelligence. They have
the district attorney to constantly point
out to them impediments in the way oil
Justice and the difficulties presented by
the code in bringing evil doors to their
lust deserts. In their zeal they might
cucumber the criminal dockets, but the
district attorney shows them in many
cases deserving punishment that there IS
some fatal error or flaw in the statute
and they refrain from finding true bill
TO prevent unnecessary expenses to the
county, but while they do so it is with
contempt for a code that permits such
to justice, and they as good
citizens inaugurate an effort to have the
difficulties removed. They are men that
the legislature would do well to listen to,
they know what they are talking about.
The grand jury Of Dallas county has
the legislature in the exact
line on the criminal code recommended by
Governor Culberson in his special mes
sage to the legislature. This grand jury |
seems to be composed of most intelli-
gent set of men as they present the ques-
ton very clearly and very fcrcibly. This
grand Jury doubtless reflects the feelings |
and opinions of all other intelligent juries
upon this question, nay more, they reflect
the best thought Of all the best men OF
the state.
1t is obvious that the intelligence and
virtue of this state demand total change |
in the criminal laws, n radical uprootiEs |
Of the whole thing. The weeds are so
thick, so deeply rooted that the whole |
ground must be torn up thoroughly, the |
Johnson grass cut out by the roots and
n new crop planted. The legislature has
wasted time in frivolous discussion, in the |
of insignificant and useless |
bills, in certain opposition appearing 10 |
all important matters, and we believe |
they begin to feel it, 1t may be said that |
it is too late to do anything but repatch |
the criminal code. That will not do, gen |
tlemen. If you wasted time, now waste |
q little of your own money, it was entirely |
your fault and you ought to suffer in the
pocket for it. The people of this state |
will not be satisfied for the Legislature to
adjourn unless this work is done and done
and about the best thing
you can do is first to determine to do 1t
and then to buckle down to work and
do it. Let all your little local pet schemes
go to the winds, go overheard in one read
burial blent and cut out and make laws
important to the very vitality of the state.
With hard work it can be done in week.
Call to your aid the best opinions and
most intelligent views on the subject.
Criminal codes of other states have been
amended You have them all before you.
Take first the best part of all these codes,
collocate the several acts, draw blue
pencil mark through our own code, strik-
ing out all its bad parts and transfer to
it all the good or the best that can be
found in all the other codes. Your
judiciary committees could do the work
in ten days and then, if you must, you
can adjourn, go home and receive the
welcome plaudts of your constituents.