The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-24
DERS' GOSPEL.

Before Debs was released from his i'm
prisonment he announced that he should
make a speech to his admirers of which
the text should be Liberty" and he
said the speech would be directed towards
proving that judicial proceedings tend
10 subvert tho constitutional rights of
citizens" The speech he made seems TO
have come up TO what he said 1t would
be.
This Is the most remarkable announce
ment that we have seen from even Debs
himself The judicial authority is estab
lished to hear and determine the contro-
yersies that arise amongst men. Nations
have no common arbiter. and when they
differ. therefore, and are unable TO find
a common ground upon which to agree,
they settle their differences with the
sword, in which the stronger nation muir
deis the citizens of the weaker one, and
devastates their fields until the weaker
one is compelled TO sue for mercy and
submit to the terms imposed upon it by
the will of the stronger one.
But the principle is not to be tolerated
In private life. We should have abso-
lutte anarchy and the blacklist barbarism
If each man who differs with his fellow
man were permitted to settle that differ
ence by numbering his adversary and
plundering his goods at his pleasure.
Civilization requires, therefore, that tri-
bunals shall be established before which
a man thinking he has grievance against
another shall state that grievance and
the other shall be given an opportunity
to examine his statement and make his
answer TO it. while each shall have an
opportunity 10 call witnesses to support
his contention. and to cross-examine the
witnesses against MIN TO ascertain the
foundations upon which his alleged in
formation rests. When each has thus
produced all he can bring forward, the
tribunal is then to pass that sentence
which the law OF the land requires, and
the parties to the controversy arc TO sub
init TO the sentence. just as the weaker
nation submits TO that which the stronger
imposes upon it at the end of war.
Men who do not reflect ind fault with
the tribunals OF justice for delay in end
ing controversies and for requiring suit
ors to conform to fixed rules of proceed
ure. Possibly the most expeditions sys-
TEN OF tudicature might be made faster:
but this great and leading fact is never
TO be forgotten whenever the subject is
brought under discussion: Men never
resort 10 courts OF justice until their
differences have reached a stage which
makes any settlement between them
selves impossible. The controversy has
arrived consequently at a point where
Il is embarrassed by passion and preju-
dice and contradictory statements and
contending interests. TO do exact jus
t.ce between the parties. then. the tri-
bunal must pick its way as best 1t can
through this labyrinth of differences. per-
jury. passion. and concealment. To ex-
pect such a procedure TO be rapid If II
would be just. is TO expect impossible
ties.
And word upon the methods OF pro-
cedure must be said here. There must
be certain fixed lines OF procedure TO
which all parties coming into a court of
justice must conform. or everything
would at once fall into inextricable con-
fusion. and parties would never know the
stage 1t which the contest had arrived.
Unless all parties 10 all contests are com
PEELED TO conform TO the established
rules Of procedure. instead OF narrowing
the issue between them down TO the very
eslns Of difference between them. the