The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-02-23

Ss~AAAe~0OSs
delphia have been overrun with it in
the past ten years. The corporations Of
the city or state against which there
may exist popular prejudice, as we'll
as the city government itself, have been
the victims of it time and again. The
passenger railway and railroad COM
panies especially the traction companies
have been mulcted Of several mil
lions of dollars, largely because of the
evidence Of perjurers, who think that a
rich man or corporation Is fair game
whenever it is possible to cook ur
against either, by any plausible pretext
a suit for damages. The grossest ex-
aggeration, the meanest receptions, the
most bare faced, downright ly-
ing, all bolstered up by
some miserable shyster who is to
have a big PERCENTAGE of the fruits OF
perjury are unblushingly resorted to
In such cases and easily impose upon the
minds of the jury. A few months ago
Judge Wiltbank, just after he went on
the bench, acclaimed vigorously
against the perjury which he
had witnessed in case
for damages against the city, but l have
not heard that anyone has been pun
ished. Perhaps the judge had not yet
been seasoned to it like his older col
leagues.
The Injunction to "kiss the
book carries with it the ap-
prehensiOn Of future punishment more
wildly to thousands of minds than the
process Of affirmation by uplifting the
hand. But the use of the Bible in admin
perfunctory, mechanical and hurried in
the tumble Of words that fall from the
lips of the court clerk Then, too, the
copy Of the sacred volume is as likely
as not to be SO dirty or dilapidated that
it becomes an offense to press it to ones
lips or even to touch it. In some of the
public offices and the magistrate courts
it cannot be touched without risk of
personal defilement. Thus the religious
character Of biblical oath is weak
ened, and not a few jurists believe that
pensed with altogether, while there
would be a distinct sanitary gain, It used
to be chiefly the Quakers and persons
who had no faith in the Bible that sued
the privilege Of affirmation but thous-
ands of men and women now affirm
simply because they cannot bring them
selves to handle the filthy, greasy book
on which the sacred formula is admins
tered in our temples of justice.
Nearly seventy years ago William Nor
an was accused by the Masons in West
ern New York of bearing false witness
and breaking his oath. 1t was said that
the oath contained the most searching
penalties for those who would disre-
gard it. When Morgans murdered body
was found there was tremendous out
cry that he had been slain for perjury
to his order in revealing it's ritual. The
''--OAN SeAIN VI ANCW L VI ~ w DIS COuNulSoU.
The excitement spread throughout the
middle states and New England and
the South; 1t seemed at one time as if
Masonry might be suppressed and the
famous William Writ was nominated for
the presidency on the issue Today there
are 100000 Masons in the United States
and their oath-bound secrecy as to their
ritual is seemingly more inviolate than
ever Guides or monitors" have
been published purporting to reveal it:
the Morgan case has been threshed over
time and again, but whether there has
been any truth in them or in him is
still a mystery to the outside world.
which can neither be affirmed nor denied
NO obligation is apparently more bind
ing on the sons of men than the oath
his order in revealing it's ritual. The
whole state of New York was conyulsed
The excitement spread throughout the
Middle states and New England and the
South; 1t seemed at one time as if Ma
sorry might be suppressed, and the ia
nous William Writ was nominated for
the presidency on the issue. Today
there are 100000 Masons in the United
States and their Oath-bound secrecy as
to their ritual is seemingly more invio-
late than ever. Guides" or monitors"
nave been published, purporting
10 reveal it.; the Morgan
case has been thrashed over
time and again, but whether there has
been any truth in them or In him is still
a mystery to the outside world. which
can be neither affirmed nor denied. No
obligation is apparently more binding on
the sons of men than the cath which
holds this remarkable organization to-
gether and none is better maintained so
lar as those outside of the pale of Ma
sonry can judge, unless it be the seal
OF the confessional in the Roman Catho-
TIC church. Doubtless many a man in
that faith who would periure himself in
court OF justice would hesitate long be-
tore he would tell the same lie to his
father confessor. Doubtless MANY Ma
son on the witness stand has easily
yielded to the temptation to perjury who
perhaps, could not be tortured into q
violation of the oath he has given to
MS Drethern. What a rotten mocc Of