The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-03-19

OF triTfh causes. For congress to
say that witnesses and jurors In the
territory are not in danger in misde-
meanor cases, but would be in dan
ger in felony cases, Is to say that Of
Tense given in the former class OF
cases would not be adequate cause
for retaliation against them by par
ties who might take offense, but that
offense given in the latter character
OF causes would be adequate cause
for retaliation against them BY par
ties so offended. This would be
equivalent to saying that such =
thing as adequate cause for crime
could exist, and il involves the inog-
ical proposition that such a thing ns
adequate cause and crime can unite
and exist at one and the same time.
But those who contend that the
courts as now constituted in the
Territory, only try misdemeanor
cases, are mistaken In this assump-
ton. IL Is true that our courts have
no jurisdiction over offenses that are
made felonies by the laws OF the
United States. IL Is also true that
our courts have jurisdiction over all
ohenses which are made felonies by
the laws OF Arkansas, and which
are not included as felonies in the
acts Of congress. As illustrations
under the laws Of Arkansas, the
courts OF the Indian Territory have
Jurisdiction for theft OF cattle, theft
OF hogs, seduction and other ofenses,
which are not felonies under the laws
OF the United States. IL cannot be
shown that witnesses for the govern
ment in these felonies, many OF which
are tried in our courts, have been de-
TERED from the discharge OF their
duty by considerations OF fear OF
cowardice. The records OF the courts
Of the cases tried and convictions
obtained, conclusively disprove this
assertion. Possibly individual in
stances might be cited, where some
witness may nave been unwilling 10
testify against criminals. know
nothing Of any such incident. n Il
has occurred, II Is nothing more than
Is liable 10 occur In any community,
and IL cannot be shown that such
witness would have been any more
willing to testify in a foreign court,
than be was to testify In the local
court, or that the foreign court could
have afforded him any more protec-
tion than was or could be afforded by
the local court. I will not repeat
here any OF the statements or argu-
ments contained in the papers which
have fled with Senator Teller for
the consideration Of the judiciary
committee. This argument is mere
~ meant TO supplement what Is there
said have no desire to repeat any
thing, or to unnecessarily trespass
upon the time and attention Of the
committee. I thefore will content
myself with asking the committee TO
consider the documents referred TO.
with one single additional sugges-
ton.
Il is not only n great burden upon
our people TO b. compelled TO pay
railroad fare to and from these for
eign courts and to spend large sums
Of money for subsistence during the
time that they are in attendance
upon such courts, but Il Is a greater
burden to them in another respect.
II an offense Is committed in a farm
ing community, and the witnesses
are carried to these foreign courts,
Il frequently necessitates their alb
scnce from farms for weeks az a
time, either in the spring or the fall,
and sometimes during both seasons.
Z The loss of the month of April TO the
farmer practically means the loss OF
his crop. This is one of the grounds
OF a great and growing complaint
among our people. Those members
Of your committee who represent ag-
rieultural constituents can well un-
derstand and explain the great loss
TO which this subjects our people. IL
may be said in reply TO the sugges-
ton as to the expenses that witness
es must incur in attending these for
eign courts, that this n burden TO the
government. Such a statement only
tells half OF the truth. The witness
es for the defense and the expenses
of the defendant are not paid by the
government, but must come out OF
the private resources Of our people.
This expenditure, in the aggregate,
amounts 10 an enormous sum. IL en-
riches others and correspondingly
unnecessarily and uniustly impoyer-
ishes our people. The present sys-
TEN, as we contend, benefits no one
except the railroads, who collect pas