Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-29
DEFENDS The JURY SYSTEM.
COUNTY COUNSELLOR REED BEFORE
THE GREENWOOD CLUB.
Judicial Trial Is Imperialism. Trial
by Jury DemOcracy-EiOquent
Arraignmcnt of Imperialism
Jury Trial Defended.

At the meeting of the Greenwood Club
last night, County Counselor James n.
Reed read a paper on the subject. Shall
the Jury System Be Abolished?' Mr.. Reed
took strong grounds in favor of the system.
Mr.. Reed said in substance:
1T is remarkable" said Mr.. Reed. that
the idea embraced in the subject for dis
Cussion this evening tshail the jury system
be abolished) should at this period of the
worlds history. be regarded as longer a
question for debate. In the right to trial
by jury is embraced practically all there
is of human liberty. The battle between
Imperialism and democracy has been waved
since the birth of government The
conflict has been ceaseless. irrecoucilablc.
vindictive. And the ultimate triumph of
either principle is only possible in the an
Inhalation of the opposing idea.
THE doctrine of Imperialism is based up
on the divine right of the classes; the phil
osophy of democracy upon the human right
of the masses. Imperialism announces the
proclaims the higher intelligence of the
many: Imperialism cries mob. democracy
replies. 'despot.' Imperialism asserts that
the intelligent few best know the needs of
the many. Democracy announces the prop
oSition that the many best know and un
derstand their own necessity.
For thousands of years Imperialism
dominated and swept the earth with the
unchallenged scepter of authority; for
with slaves and despots; for thousands OF
years humanity CROPPED amid the valleys
of ignorance and looked upon a sky with
out IL star: for thousands of years imperial
ism placed the crown of authority upon the
brow CT murder. robed in kingly purple the
thieves and robbers of the earth. and with
RELENTLESS hands riveted upon humanity the
chains of intellectual. moral and political
servitudc; for thousands OF years imper.
ialism armed its wretched slaves. and
hurled the ~contending hosts against each
other: the dust OF earth was trampled in
TO the red mire OF war. and all its surface
was made white with bleaching bones; i'm
QUESTIONS. lighted the torches of persecu-
ton. builded its fires about the forms OF
men, invented Instruments of torture 10
tear and rend the tender flesh of women,
.impaled on rocking piles the bleeding heads
of babes. 1t respected neither the feeble
ness of age. the weakness of childhood. nor
the chastity of maidenhoOd; it turned lifs
into a monstrous mockery. enveloped the
earth in a night of ignorance. fear and
hate. created the serpent of superstition,
turned loose the tigers of revenge. reduced
mankind to the level of brute creatures and
obliterated the last star in the skies OF
hope. Its record is written in blood. sla-
only the clank of chains. the CHASTITY rattle
of letters. the swish of cruel whips laid
on the naked backs OF men-the cry for
mercy answered by a mockins oath. the
laughter of Bacchus mingled with the
shrek of despair. Imperialism turned this
world into a hell. Judged by its crimson
The world has had enough of govern
ment by the so-called intelligent classes.
TIE world has concluded to govern itself.
The discovery has at last been made that
man has the right to declare. what laws
shall be made. how they shall be enforced.
and to take part in their execution. and
here is the dignity and glory of the jury
system. Judicial trial is Imperialism. July
trial is democracy. No nation has ever been
ensIaved where the right to trial by jury
has remained inviolate. No nation has ever
beer free where the right to Jury trial has
been Circumscribed.
Trial by jury in its last analysis is trial
by the people. 1t has ever been the bull
wark behind which liberty has intrenched
itself. II is at once the citadel. armor and
shield of democracy. a people cannot be
erslaved when tina people must enforce
the slavery. No man has ever been found
who will rivet his own letters
IF government passes grossly unjust
laws. iuries refuse to convict. and the I'M
inst law becomes Il nullity: it falls dead
| from the hand that pens its ubiquitous pro,
visions. A law which cannot be enforced
is no law. AT the last. jury trial is trial by