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

and enforce them; upon what prin-
ciple can congres deny to the peo-
pie Of this territory the right 20 en-
force the law among themselvesP
Where are the teachings OF our faith
ers, that requires that our people
should be subject to foreign iuris-
dictions, that they should be trans
ported out of their country to BE-
tried before strangers for either real
or supposed offenses7 Both by pre-
cept and example they conducted
each and all of these things. II mat
ters not how innocent n man may be,
unless he is also a man of wealth, IL
simply means financial ruin for him
to be indicted and tried in one OF
these foreign jurisdictions. We all
know that no system OF law is per
feet. 1t is an infirmity of human ma
ture and human law that the inno-
cent, as well as the guilty, are fire.
quen1y indicted; sometimes because
the witnesses are honestly mistaken;
sometimes through n misunderstand-
ing Of the evidence by the grand ju-
ry; sometimes because the grand ju-
~ did not have all Of the evidence
before il; and sometimes as the re-
suit of malice and perjury. A per-
son living in the Indian Territory,
who IS depraved and who may be
actuatej by malice, can go before n
grand jury of one of these foreign iu-
risdictions, and procure an indict-
meut against an innocent man,
which should not have been obtained A.,
and which would in many instances,
not have been obtained had the place
ofthe pretended offense been suffi-
ciently near to admit of thorough in
vestigation. The result is that the
defendant is compelled to travel hun
dreds OF miles and carry his witness
es with him. The distance of the
point OF trial from the place of the
supposed offense makes il more diff
ficult to obtain the attendance of
the witnesses and renders the con-
tinuance of the case necessarily
more frequent. Consequently there
is liability of being forced 10 make
repeated trips to court. The inevi-
table result of this loss of time aud
expense is to break the poor fe, ow
up, no matter how complete his vim
dication may be upon trial. MANY
parties who know of the commission
I -
from crimes, when they think Of the
time lost and the trouble end dis
anoe of travelling to and FROM these
foreign jurisdictions aud the liability
of the cases being continued, fell 70
report tte offenses TO the Offices,
when they would gladly do so IL the
trial could be had at n point near T.
thei, homes. Again il is much east
CT for perjury to be committed i'm,
and fcaud practiced upon, these for
eign jurisdictions, because the means
of detection are so remote, and the
time is too short to allow investiga
zion during a trial.
We unde stand that the object oi
Furnishing violations OF law is two
fold: first to reform the criminal
second to protect society against q
reoe,ition of similar onenses. W,
also understand that il is an accep
ted truism, that it is the nearnes
and the certainty of punishment, ant
not its severity, that deters the erin
inal. IL we ace correct in these con
clusions, il follows without saying
that for the reasons above given, tbs
present system does not meet tb'
objects Of the law.
Our people have the same senti
ments o: pride and the same inheren
love of fair play, just ce and libert.
that has always characterized IN,
American people. They regard tn
present system as unamerican ant
unjcst. They will suffer wrong
rather than appeal to foreign courts
IL matters not how faithful the OF
ficials may be, the present system !
an outrage upon the people Of thi
/ territory, and uniustifiable by exist
ing conditions, viOiative of ever
: principle of right, justice and free
, dom, and which cannot be perpetu
= ased without inflicting an outrag
, upon these people amounting to a
absolute iniquity.
, Furthermore, il is incontestabl
I true that the present system of duS
- jurisdiction over this territory IL
; creases the cost of administering tn
J criminal law incredibly, while at th
/ same time impairing the efficiency {
q the executive force. That IL increa'
! es the cost, must be plain upon
! moments consideration. Remember
, now, that tnere are three Uhite