The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-29
PARTIAL JGRIEs.

sstnfBsS
The Montesano correspondent Of the
Post-IntelliGencer. IN a dispatch pub
lished Sunday morning, referred to tn,
remarkable coincidence taat the neii
called to serve on juries were. with hard
y an exception. Populists. Commenting
on this nc says: II. ia the first time ia
the history of this county that politics
has had anything 10 do in determining
q mans qualifications as juror"
If IT be true that the county officials
were guilty of discrimination in the draw
ing Of jurors. they not only disobeyed the
law. but were guilty OF one of the grca'.-
est crimes that can be pefpetrateo
against civilized society. There is such
q thing az coincidence. OF course. and il
may DO possible that chance fell upon
Populists only. Giving them the benefit
OF the doubt In this particular instance.
the same coincidence has been observed
In so many counties where the Populis,S
are in control as 10 make 1t not undesll-
able to call the attention OF the people
10 the fact
The board of county commi; sioners az
each county selects from the persons
qualified To act as Jurors in counties az
one class the names Of 5.a persons to act
as Jurors. and In counties OF another
3 class 800 persons. There is nothing IN
the law, of course. requiring the officers
TO be impartial. nor is there anything in
the law relating to judges directing them
20 be impartial. II is pretty we'll unde'-
stood In any civilized country that jury
II 10 be selected as iinpartiaily as pn,,-
sIhle. and that very important Interests
are intrusted 10 their care. The county
commissioner however. ARE not so much
to blame. because the provision of tie
act cnder which irregularities may arhe
is that which provides: '+If for any cau.e
sufficient number Of grand or petit
Jurors are not returned by the sheriff In
the manner first herein contemplated. tr
II sufficient number OF grand or net I
Jurors are not IN attendance the cont
may order the panel filled by summon
Ing a sufficient number by an open venFre
issued and directed 10 the sherifr." I'm
der this provision They're Is room for that
fftAi'-ANAf.sAh-ff a 1
the jurors selected by a Popullst sheri,r
happen to he Foruiists. 4 man may be
no worse juror because he Is & Ponulisr
but sheriff who takes particular care
to make politics tte only test of Jurors
qualifications Is violating his oath and IN
aicting wrong upon sl whose interests
ore subjected 10 jury.
L.
academy Of Philadelphia. Justice john
Dean. OF the supreme court Of Pennsvl.
vanla, described the powers cf a Jury a.
despotic There is not q deHpot a,
earth" he said. Exercising power over
the subject who is So irresponsible a.
tha Juror, because even the worst Of
1espets is more sensitive 10 public opin.
Ion than Is the man taken from his nr,li-
nary business for q. week IN try a cAus.
and then Teiapsing sEain irto the mass
Judge Dean does not object n the extent
Of this power, on the contrary. he jas.
tifies IL. and remarks thar s'ln govern.
nent of the people. es The people Tor
the people. such terrible power cu~ht tr
D. lodged Just there ana RON ,.er. ,,a, 49,,
Nobody WHO believes 81 ,ar average
coed sense and honesty Of tho psorfe ,,fgI
question the tsugh Of 1usse Deans com
uenda;ion NJ tho system The ury s,s.
ten can he preserved sn all 4.S er4xtnai
purpoae and purity provided officials 10
their duty. which ia merely So a.Iaw th.
Nv q take It's course. ard uo, interpos,
their own selfish snteFe.ts between sAose
q plaintiff and aogcudsnt INA lieps
Stevens declared, after . Jury AaA ten
sent cat in most imroriast cAsa tn
which he was counsel that tarse was ore
thing witch even Ounsscievse h.f-etl.
could no; goreseli ard that w. tnc ,e--
aict II a Jury. This IS 10 reflection Upeu
the jury. because attorneys on Aa.h ~sgs
have each en8eavcred % make ;he Hvy
believe thas each was right aa3 the othes
~ronS There are very few eases vHsg,
on side is clearly Fjsat ara the ether 81
clearly wrcns J. IS isfy Is tAe gttcs3.,
rene and ,Ge honesty % Jhe iery SO s7et,
usse between then. Tae fse1 ,A8t So -
very dlfncnlt ~ determine frem the con.
flcstus testimony end srgumer, f2st aep
}uyy viii decide makes Sc al ,ae
nsofe Important IRA: nc inherace eNc,gi
sensaevasien 20 ,he ;esslsTsony shall oiee-
ta5e uros tAe3r conclusion. 1etsr Eean
dos net regard E. Sc bad SKATE az &Ga4rs
g. have uncertainty la s. ver'.>s rs tc nave
tia, certainty whlce enables sse FoA..
to determine pretty accurately MAST =
vso5sci Is nkel% 80 y es k0evt~s tas
eomp}ez.oa II tAe igFy. - IS very ua.
sorfsuasle faet. b. says. taa, so3sy 81 &.
PC aae 40 Preas,t gs@ay tsry sesaicss
VIZ saiy tee mach eectAlafy -63tea tie
parties ana teeir anAactai oe-tlsscr eita.
GU, regard &c The wesxas 81 s;sasGssa>e