The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-08-15

menace to law and oidar, both from
the Impotence they provoke among
honest people aud tho cncouragemon'
they give TO roguos. We pride our
selves upon the high standard of pa
triotism aud honesty OF our army
officers. but if we teach men that
they can Disgrace the uniform Of the
United States and indefinitely escapn
punishment our military service Will
he ss open TO corruption SIS the New
York police force under the black
mailing and crime protecting system
of Tammany Hall.
Captain Oberln VI. Carter was on
May -, lS9o, convicted bg court
martial. presided over by Genersl
Elwell 5 Ous, of freuls IN cornec
uon with the Improvement Of Savan
,ah Harbor, and sentenced TO be DIS
ml sed from the army, 10 be imprIs
onod for FIVE years, and to pay fin,
e - 600, aud tho publication OF
his crime and sentence IN the news
papers of his home town for one yen
was ordered. Ever since May 10,
l-go. that sentence has been sus-
pended, while one sort of review or
smother was being taken by some
person or other. Meanwhile Captain
Carter wears his uniform, and the
contractors who defrauded the Gov
ernment enjoy immunity and, III is
charged, sre hoping that the case OF
Captain Carter will be 50 prolonged
that nobody will begin proceeding
sgaiust them before the statute Of
limitations leaves them safe IN the
possession of their ill-g0tten gains.
The record of the trial was placed IN
;ho hands of the Judge Advocate
General on May 10, ls9S, and for
wsrded 70 Secretary Alger on June
~ lsg5. Then the ususl course was
taken of sending the case for review
% An outside lawyer, because the
testimony was too voluminous for the
Presidents personal attention. Fix
Senator Edmuuds was chosen for this
task, aud be finished it in July, lsJS
After that the Attorney Genera took
up the papers, and he Is now waiting
an Wayne MacNeagh, Captain Car
ter's counsel, who Is IN Europe, can
come home and make another plea
for his client The latest estimate Is
that decision may be reached IL
perhaps two months, or about q year
sld a half after the fading Of the
court-martIal
As the Attorney General has hith-
erto pointed out, the testimony N
mis- case is V luminous, and it takes
time to give adequate attention to all
points raised by Captain Carter in
bus appeal from the sentence. Never
tl,less, q delay Of yeAr and halt
is SO unusual in passing upon the
finding of p cOurt.martlal that 1t has
uot unuaturally excited remark and
criticism, which haYe not been in the
least sllayed by the personal and
political connections of Captain Car
ter Perhaps the suspicion that
strong influence is being exerted t)
save Captain Carter from imprison-
ment is not well founded. There
may be nothing to the stories ahoat
Of the efforts being made by the con
tractors aud their supporters to put
the case IN such shape that even If
Captain Carter does not escape they
will enjoy immunity. The assertion
that the statute of limitations will re-
leve them from the conspiracy charge
in December, 1899, has been declared
officially to be of no consequence, as
there are several ways Of holding the
contractors for any wrong they may
have done. Nevertheless, the failure
Of the Government to take immediate
steps against the contractors before
their lawyers could set up even an
III founded plea of this kind IN de-
fence has only added to the puzzled
questioning Of people about this un-
usual case. If Captain Carter did
not have friends among powerful
Senators the delay in passing on his
conviction would be remarked as
strange With those friends actively
enlisted in his behalf there is special
need that no excuse should be given
for the charge that the honor of the
army can be tampered with. 1t is,
therefore, particularly unfortunate
that circumstances should have COM
PEELED the authorities in their at
tempts to do full justice to CAPTAIN
Carter to drag the case along 80 TAR
as TO cause wonderment and i'm
patience. If Captain Carter mas been
wronged, it ought to be possible for
him to show it without delay of
year and half. If he is guilty, be
should be punished before the mem
ory of his crime fades away aud the
example of his sentence is lost. And,
above ell, the Government should be
saved from even the shadow of re-
prOach that its justice can be IN
hueuced or its decision postponed in
a matter involving the honor Of the
army by any political or business
power.