The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-10-31

otherwise said the Democratic Attorney
General, AN accused might be kept in ar
rest at tue pleasure Of the Secretary of
the Navy. Certain cases of mine are now
pending before the Court of Claims in
which the question of speedy trial or de-
layed trial would come up for judgment.
The test case is one in which a peculiar
entry was made and upon which the Court
Of Claims would be Obliged to adjudge, on
past precedents. that the naval statutes
forbade postponed trials. The original en-
try on the record of this trial was known
TO be materially defective: the Navy De-
partme ats reply giving an account OF It.
was eli hel a copy Of an altered record. or
false writing to the prejudice OF another's
right. as it hinderSd or wholly prevented
Judgment for money and prompt trials.
This writing. paper. or reply was prepaT-
ed by clerk whose initials upon it were
giyer as F B. c.
AT the time he drafted it he was a
temporary appointee. On June IS. 1899. ne
was, through The farce of Civil Service
examination. rewarded with a permanent
appointment by the Administration Among
the list OF questions on this examination
was one entitled. Common Law 1t
counted highest and consisted of ten
questions TWO Of the ten, 10 the amaze
ment Of all the candidates but F. B. c.
solely asked the contents of certain recent
matter-Of-faCt statutes. which no one but
a candidate who had been dishonesty no
tilted Of the questions before hand could
reasonably expect TO De prepared with.
They would put up the standing of such a
candidate and lower that of the nthers.
There were only two candidates beside f
B. c. for competition had diminished them
to the utmost by a pretencs IN the notice
Of the examination, that the position offer
ed was mere per diem office and only
temporary.
{.
archy is having star chamber conceal
ments OF the proceedings OF courts mar
tiai Although there aTe-c9urts of the
United States, the Nary Department
claims the right to withhold inspection of
| them from attorneys of persons who have
suffered thereby.
The fifth step consists OF the shutting
up Of prisoners incomunicado' The
| United States mail has been robbed OF let
ters from prisoners under Mr.. Long to
their counsel asking relief from United
States court and Congress for alleged vio-
| lations Of acts of Congress. Some letters
| Fave been intercepted and are now held in
| the Navy Department, obstrueting justice,
| The robbery was reported to the Court Of
| Claims which was asked, on the ground
| that powers of attorney had been thus
distracted from the mail. for leave to
| file petitions for these robbed prisoners
| without power OF attorney. Leave was
! granted, contrary TO the usual rule Of the
| court which thus set its own judicial seal
OF condemnation on the departments be-
! havier
Finally, the sixth step has been taken
| by no less person than the Republican
candidate for Vice President. From March
4, 1897, until 1898. Theodore Roosevelt was
| Assistant Secretary OF the Navy. AS
| such. during the absence of Secretary
| Secretary Long, he became ruler of that
| military state to which Is entrusted the
! vital part of the nations defence, foreign
! attack by sea being the only kind of as
sault against which all the millions of tbs
| United States could not protect it. While
| land soldiers may be created in a few
| days, seamen do not get the nautical AMI
| technical experience necessary to ma
| neuv=s the intricate machinery of battle
| ships except in two or three years Tina
| intelligent recruits may be led to maxi
| this their life work. they must be as
sured of at least justice. They must fee
| that if they are falsely accused of a crime
and menaced with the penitentiary b,
trial before thoughtless court-maTtia
| composed of indiscriminate men not law
yers they must be notified of their com
ing jeopardy in time to preserve the per
haps ephemeral evidence that shows then
| innocent.
Mr. Roosevelt, as appears from hi