The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-05

The prosecuting attorney of this county
before bis election to mis- present office
was not known to have been in active
practice In his profession. Except in a
single instance, we believe, he never ap-
peared in court IN the conduct Of a GRIM
inal trial. Lest Mr.. Bigelow's official ex-
perience may noe have led him to be-
stow any special attention ON the provis-
ions of the laws regarding crimes by and
against the executive power of the state,
the G o e, with all Difference and re-
spect. desires 10 quote for him a few of
the provisions of those laws. They pos
sess an interest and Importance just at
this time which must constitute our only
excuse for troubling Mr.. Bigelow.
In the second volume of the General
Statutes of 1894, page ITO, Mr.. Bigelow
will find set forth section 10 of the penal
code of this state. 1t is as follows:
Any. executive or administrative officer,
or person elected or appointed to an eX-
ecutiVe or administrative office, who asks,
receives, or agrees to receive, any bride,
upon an agreement or understanding that
his vote, opinion or action upon any mat
ter then pending, or which may by law be
brought before him in his official capacity,
shall be influenced thereby, is punishable
by imprisonment in the state prison not
exceeding ten years, or by fine not ex-
ceeding five thousand dollars, or by both;
and in addition thereto forfeitS his office,
and is forever disqualified from holding
any public office under this state.
On the next page of the same volume
Mr.. Bigelow will also find this provision
of law:
Amy executive or administrative officer
who asks or receives any emolument, gra-
tutty or reward, or any promise of emolu-
ment gratulty or reward, except such as
may be authorized by law, for doing any
official act, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
This is section 46 of the penal CODE
Three sections below on the same page
Mr.. Bigelow will find this provisions:
A person who gives or offers to give any
gratuity or reward, in consideration that
he or any other person shall be appointed
10 pubic once, or to clerkship, depu-
tyship, or other subordinate position in
such office, or that he or such other per-
son shall be permitted to exercise, per-
form or discharge any prerogatives or
QuueS, or to receive any emoluments of
such an office, is guilty of misdemeanor.
This is known as section 40 Of the
penal code. In connection with it Mr.
Bigelow might read the section immedi-
ately following, which has reference not
to the giving or Offering to give, but to
the receiving or Offering to receive an IL
legal gratuity or reward not provided by
law for doing certain act 1t reads as
follows and is known as section so Of the
penal code:
A person who asks or receives or agrees
to receive any gratuity or reward or any
promise thereof, for appointing another
person, or procuring for another person
an appointment to public Office, or to a
clerkship, deputyship or other subordinate
position in such an office is guilty of a
mlSdemeanor If the person so offending
Is public officer, a conviction also for
feitS his office.
In view of the possibility that Mr.. Big
Glow may be familiar with these provis-
ions, we shall be rewarded for our trouble
In printing them by the reflection that
in the prevailing condition Of morals
among our Republican brethren
engaged in administering public office in
this city and county an acquaintance
with them may be valuable, at least in
causing them to exercise more caution
than now appears to prevail among them
In disposing of the spoils