The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-03-04

things were right then, they are
right now. Men may change, but
principles are as eternal as the God
from whom they emenate. Our con-
tention is that they are the birth
right of every American citizen, and
that patriots and statesmen cannot,
and da-e not, reuse them to us be-
cause we may be weak and helpless,
or because those who would violate
these principles may be strong and
influential.
Congress is estopped from deny
ing the corrections of our conten-
ton. If these things are not so, why
was the act of 1895 passed? Ifit was
an act of justice, then, what change
has taken place since, that calls for
its repeal? The law giving our
courts exclusive jurisdiction has not
been shown to be defective, unjust
or injurious. The people have made
no complaint. If there has been
complaint, it has been secret and
/ dared not show its head in the light
of public knowledge. 1t is not child's
play for congress to enact a law at
one session and then, when that law
meets with the approval of the great
body OF people to be affected there
| by, when that law is demanded by
the most elementary principles of
our government, to repeal it with
out consulting those for whose bene-
fit it was enacted?
it cannot be said that our people
are incapable of enforcing the law.
BY the act of 1895, congress after a
fnll investigation, said that we were.
There has been no retrogression
among us. The records of the
United States courts in Kansas, Ar
kansas and Texas, when compared
with the courts in this Territory,
will show n much smaller percent of
convictions in proportion to the
cases tried, than has been obtained
in the courts in the Territory. In
other words, when cases are tried
here, there is a much larger per cent
of convictions than are obtained in
the other courts referred to. The
reports now on file with the depart
ment of Justice will fully sustain this
assertion. This shows conclusively
that our people make as good jurors
rs do the people Of Kansas, Arkan-
sas and Texas. 1t is a groundless
and cruel reflection upon the in
telligence and integrity OF the people
of this Territory say that they
cannot be trusted to en- 'ce the law.
The men who makes = n charge
is either grossly igno.a - our con-
dition, a fool, or a Fnave3and may
be ali three. The people of this Ter
ritory in intelligence, integrity, law
abiding disposition, and devotion to
the principles of liberty, are the
equais of any people to be found any
, lere upon he face Of the earth.
They have built towns, placed hun
ureds of thousands OF acres of land
in cultivation, developed mines,
organized and operated banks, estab-
lished all branches of industry, built
churches, school houses, Masonic
lodges, odd Fellows halls and other
lodge buildings in every community
= ali over this country. AS a class
. they are hard working, moral, pro
, gressive and law abiding people
! They appeai to those who are their
brethren, and who should be theii
5 friends, for Justice.
e If a man has been a good man. i
5 he has led moral, honest, truthiu
e life, it is his right as an American
! citizen, TO be tried among those witt
] whon ne has lived, and where th'
f accusation and evidence against hin
a NAV be heard and considered in tn,
r light OF his past life. VI man ma
, been bad man, a thief, liar, or
C murderer, he has no cause to com
= plain if he is compelled to be tried il
q a community where his true charac
e ter is known. The good man !
s damaged, the bad man is benefited
J, by the change. Thus the ends o
Justice are thwarted. Where a per
t son is tried beyond the Territory 70
g an offense committed here, the jur
e have no personal interest in the eli
o forcement cf the law. IL is merel
}, an abstract proposition with them
5 . ey have no knowledge as TO th
: character, or want of character, O
IS the witnesses for or against the &C
cused. Brazen faced perjury stand
: before them on equal footing wit
II modest unassuming truth. Where
: person is tried here, for an offens
n committed here, he is tried before
s jury who are personally intereste
z in the enforcement of the law, VIII