The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-15

curry if there is anything the matter
with his lungs. after he is told to take
his hand from his mouth, to not sit
crOsslegged and to face the jury, after
he has been badgered and stopped in
his narrative after the attorney mis-
quotes his words and misapplies his
meaning. whether after all this he
speaks the truth or not resides wholly
within the arcanum of omniscience
THE antiquated farce of administer
ing am oath by which a mans con-
science is tethered and he is prevented
from committing perjury, Influenced by
the anger of a displeased God hereafter
is still INDUCED in. When we take into
consideration how little a witness be-
leves in any of them or i'm everlasting
birthstone he'll, it would strike the ord
nary layman that his danger and fear
OF punishment hereafter would not pre-
vent perjury nor keep him awake at
nights after he had committed it. I
might add that perjury is now so COM
mon that 1T is almost considered an OBJ
sOlete crime.
I'm a law suit those on each side be
yond a desire to see justice done and
right prevail have that common and
earthly characteristic, a desire to win;
and accommodate their consciences by
assuming it is virtue to help equity
although it takes the suggestion of a
falsehOod or the suppression of the
truth. Add to this a little spite or
hatred, or malice. and you have parti-
san rancor that insensibly discoIors and
premeditatedIy falsifes the facts. 1t is
to be deplored-
THE grave. dignified oath admins
tered almost as a state ceremonial, of
kissing the book of Holy EVangels has
degenerated into the hurried uplifting
Of the hand, q jargon of lndistinguish-
able words and a nod of the head
which degeneracy has proven well
nigh fatal to the sOlemnity of the oath
itself
lit should be the effort of the law to
hear the recital of the facts from lips
that open TO tell it as readily for foe as
for friend.
IN science there is no such thing as
bias or favor Science pitted against
science. doctor against doctor is a par
adoN in q law suit
This learned profession should be
divorced from the htteness of parts
anship. You should be made the Off
GERS of the court to speak the truth as
your knowledge knew the truth.
The present custom has no virtue
other than its antiquity. Science
should not be required 70 bow its head
or bend its back and under purgatorlal
penalties to speak the truth by taking
an oath or kissing a book even though
antiseptic precautions have been taken
with the cover.
'.The court should instruct the jury
that they are officers of the court and
came there not as partisans or adher-
ents Of either side No reputable physi-
clan should run the gauntlet by APP
pearing as a partisan witness after
this
The court should have the right to
award a professional charge proper
I toned to the service rendered and for
such sum as the traffic of the contro-
I versy would reasonably bear
"As closing thought, gentlemen.
would suggest that the legislature
4 meets the coming winter
A vote OF thanks was rendered Mr..
I Waters though he didn't stay to get it
and @. w. Hogeboom, all of Topeka
/ were made a committee to work to the
end Of carrying out the suggestions
made,