Chicago eagle., 1900-08-25

of Gates In 1871 and the Jester tried for
the murder In 1000 were two different
men. The first Jester was compare.
lively young. hot.headed, and passion.
ate; the Jester brought back for trial
was an old man, bent with years and
worries. II he ever was homicide the
murderous instinct had long perished
In his bosom. But the law was plain.
There Is no statute Of limitations for
murder. Jester. the septuagenarlan,
must stand trial for the otfense Of the
other Jester. and II the jury found him
guilty must hang. Fortunately, yuries
are human, though the law IL stony.
The evidence against the prisoner was
| strong. but In the eyes Of the Jurors 1t
did not appear as evidence against this
white.haired old man, but against an.
other person whom the inexorable
years had slain. They refused to put O
moose around the neck OF Alexander
Jester In 1900 for the crime perpetrated
by the Alexander Jester who had been
his predecessor In that withered frame.
In short, they modified the law to meet
public benefit could be conferred by
the punishment Of this poor. dead vol.
cano. Since the purpose Of the law In
decreeing death for murder IL not to
kill the murderer. but to make an ex.
ample. they acquitted the prisoner,
holding that neither the human race In
general nor that part Of 1t residing In
the State Of Missouri would be bene.
flied by the spectacle Of a man Of 70
swinging In air for the crime which an.
other man had committed. We think
they were right about II.
~
Americans take their politics serious.
ly. Impartial observers, noticing the
fervor which marks a Presidential
campaign, might say that they take
their politics too seriously. Once In
four years one-half OF the American
people, through Its conventions and
platforms, rises up to condemn" and
"denounce" the proceedings and views
Of the other half. II the rhetoric OF
party platforms and campaign oratory
were taken literally, II might suggest a
violence Of emotion which would no,
content itself with peaceful expression,
But the average American makes, al.
lowances for rhetoric, and considers
with due seriousness the issues and al.
ternatives presented 10 him. With all
this seriousness Of political discussion,
Americans like to have their politics
seasoned with humor. However i'm.
portant the issues involved In a cam.
pa.gn, they have their lighter aspect,
There Is room for the cartOonist and
the satirist and the man who can aim
clever paragraph at the weakest point
In his opponents argument. The ele.
ment OF eXaggeratiOn which enters
largely into all characteristic Ameri.
can hlAnor finds full play In the oppor.
tunities afforded by Presidential cam.
paign. Every public man has some
foible which can be made to furnish
food for mirth. Every public policy is
capable OF being grotesquely stated by
keen critic. 1t Is u peculiarity Of
Americans that they not only enjoy
laughing at others, but they do not
mind being made to laugh ut them.
selves. But to be effective In politics
and to commend itself to the people.
humor must be good-natured. Humor
which carries with II the sting of NAL.
ice overreaches itself. The American
sense Of fair play revolts against mis-.
representations of sentiment or attacks
upon character. even when conveyed In
cartoon or jest; and politicians have
learned that they do not pay. But
there is kind of humOr SO merry and
good-tempered that even the objects Of
1t cannot choose but join In the laugh
which it arOuses; and of such humOr
We can hardly have too much, as re.
lief 10 the strenuOusness OF our long
Presidential campaigns.
Whether or not the assassin Of King
Humbert, Of Italy, was member OF
one Of those organizations which have
been formed for the murder of persons
In authority the act itself was an ex-
preston Of the anarchistic spirit so
widely prevalent In the world. OF this
there cannot be much doubt. King
Humbert was one Of the gentlest of
mOnarchs. He himself declared. that
1t was his sole ambition to win the
hearts Of his people. His career and
the fact that he achieved the end at
which he aimed In a most remarkable
degree prove his sincerity. He was not
murdered hpCauga ha Vas tvra nnicaI