Evening journal., 1899-01-05
LETTERS FROM THE P OPLE
Ma. GEoR0E 5. ORNHAM.

S. Graham from the office of District
Attorney IS an event Of 30 important a
cha-arter-not only in the civic laa-
World. bui also in that larger ana
more influential sphere (the mind Of
the peop.el-as to call for something
mere than mere pernnctory' notict
Although the fact that Mr Grahhm 5
retirement from office would ac; con-
currently with the c.ceing of the year
Just passed has all along been known
by the publle-stiA, now that that re-
tirement has become an accomplished
fact the realization OF it algs causes a
fecang Of more poignant regret than
ever did its mere anticipation. Indeed,
ii is very probable that there are those
whb sometimes wish that Mr.. Graham
instead Of withdrawing from the recent
Bistrict Autobiography contest, had Sc;
his face to the adverse or Opposing
winds, and have said to the electors ex-
actly what the boy. who was dis
charged by his employer, fe.t con-
strained to say: see here, Mister II
thon hasn't got sense enough to know
when thcu'It gotten a good man, I've
got sense enough to knowwhcn rvegof-
ten good muister, and IalnT agoing tC
quit And we believe that the people
Of Philadelphia, more especially those
comprising the Bar OF that city, villa
as thsy realize the official passing od
Mr.. Graham, and as they miss his IA
miliar and handsome personality from
THE accustomed spot, experiencem much
the same feeling as we experience
when the chi,iy-hhnd Of Death has
gently touched some lsvedone, the feel.
ing which causes us 10 exclaim with
Tennyson-
"Ohl for the touch OF a vanished hand,
And the sound CT voice that is still,
Some ouch sensibility as this win now
and, doubtless, for a long time to come,
animate the breasts of an these, r.
respective OF any personal or Politica.
prediction, with whem Mr.. Graham.
during a long official cSreer, has come
in juxtaposltion. in c.ose contact. And
If by any chance there should still
happen to exist those who, in the more
recent past. sought to antagonize Mr.
Graham by qusstisning the methods
employed by him in the administra-
ton Of the affairs pertaining to the Of
Ace Of District Attorney If ther,
should chance TO be a few such re
alcitrants left, then we feel sure that
a sober OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES has caused
them to regret having been led into
10 erroneous, unjust and obviously IL
losica. course OF action.
Mr.. Grahum, ais District Attorney,
was keen reader OF human nature
Perhaps there is NO better sShool foi
the development OF the insight" fac
ulty than criminal court. Such
school may mstamorphose man into
a distrustful. sceptical, un0elieving
entity; but n, nevertheless. enables
him to arrive ae a pretty accurate
knowledge Of humankind, and Of the
motives actuating that particular kind
II has now and then been affirmed
that Mr.. Graham either in this or that
particular case, was merciless IN
pushing for conviction. But we must
not lose sight OF the fact that Mr..
Graham. as prosecuting officer, would,
in any given case, be Obliged to sink
his private or personal feelings, and to,
il the evidence warranted eu6h
course OF procedure, push the case foi
all it was worth. But there must have
been many instances, during Mr.. Ora
hams prokracted spell Of Office, when,
knowing the unfortunate and, perhaps,
irresponsible conditions environing
given criminal, il would so against
the grain to ins.stently demand a YER
dict for the prosecution, which yer
dict would inform the public that such
and such a crimlaa. had got his deser.
At such time there would. doubt
lees, flash across the mind of Mr.. Gra.
ham the never to be denied wisdom OF
that Shakespsarran inSerrcgagoly-
Treat every man after his desert
And who shaa 'scApe whipping?'
We venture to assert that Mr.. Graham
must have ieA, in some criminal cas-.
or an5ther. with what titanic force this
Shakesperian w.sdom-a wisdom which
puts to the very blush the erudition. OF
themcst erudiase ofcur day-w5u.dap
ply. But, then. neither Mr. Graham
nor any ether man is able. as justice
in this world goes. to mete out to any
traregresScr an Altogether Just and
equitable form OF punishment. What.
in the transcendent name Of the great
God above, does any one Of us know.
apyway? Therefore. it does not neces-
sarily 1o.low because Mr.. Graham
when distharging his duty, was a
eemingly merciless prosecutor that his
heart was equally so. When Marwood
whs the public executioner fer the
Knglieh CroU-n-t, r,ceH u,n,Fch. hn -