The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1901-11-09
Durbin Disgraced,

lucky. for the persons OF Taylor and
Finley, fugitives from justice and
charged with having been accessories
before the fact to the murder Of the
late Gov. GOebel, of the latter state,
is a disgrace not only to the man
himself but to the high Office which
he holds. The rule Of the conStitu-
ton OF the United States is that the
officials Of one state shall give ''full
faith and credit" to those Of another
state, and in ignoring this provision
of our organic law, the governor OF
Indiana, who took oath to support
the national constitution, becomes a
periurer. In fact, he becomes an
anarchist, as dangerous to our system
of government, if not more so, than
Herr Most or Lucy Parsons.
What right has Durbin, governor
of Indiana, to pass judgment on the
judiciary of Kentucky? What right
has he to establish so dangerous and
so revolutionary a precedent?
1t is seldom that partiSaniSm runs
riot to that extent that it is brought
into requiSition to shield the murderer.
The state of Indiana. the home Of
such hOnored men as Benjamin Har-
rison and Thomas A. Hendricks, yves
it to itself to see that this marplot
on justice who occupies the guberna-
tOrial chair of that state is promptly
impeached if there is any possible
way to reach him.
Referring to the action Of Durbin
the indianapolis, Indiana, Sentinel
says:
"No better reason could be given for
the rule Of the United States consti-
tuition that the officials Of one state
shall give full faith and credit" 10
the judicial proceedings Of every other
state than the spectacle now pre-
sented by Governor Durbin in his
protection Of the Kentucky aSSaSSinS.
This official brazenly announces ia
the newspapers that he is reading the
proceedings in the former Kentucky
trials. Why? To ascertain whether
Kentucky trials are fair-although
the constitution expressly forbids him
TO question their fairness. But this
deyOtee 10 fairness further announces
through republican papers that thi,
examination is ''merely for courtesy
to the Kentucky authorities, as he
has already made up his mind and
has made it up for the violation Of
the constitution. Think or it! Thi.
from a man who charges Kentucky
courts with prejudging cases! Ant
must not any review of the fairneS,
OF the courts by an executive, who il
nine cases out Of ten is deeply involved
in politics, be equally absurd? II moi
all our efforts to secure impartia
courts are failures and we might as wei
take refuge in that system, once
proposed by a legislator, of providing
for an appeal from the supreme court
to two justices Of the peace.
IF there were any possible justitica
ton for any governor, under any cir
cumstanceS, raising a question as t.
the fairness Of the courts in anothe
state, the monstrous assumption o
Governor Durbin in doing 50 is Show
by his proposal to send Merrill Moore
a' his emisSary to investigate tn
Kentucky courts and report. |
Governor Durbin had any conception
OF fairness he would have e no,
ludicrouS this plan must be. If h
had proposed a committee Of inye,
tigation composed, in as nearly a
possible equal parts, Of reputabl
republican and democratic ATTORNEYS
people might have taken some stoc
in his claim Of a desire to be fail
But to turn the whole matter Over {
Merrill MOoreS. who has been boil
n0bbing with Taylor and Finley eve
since they escaped into Indiana, an
VINO actually has had the impudenC
10 Introduce these aSsasSinS to son
respectable people, is as absurd as
would be to ask for a report frol
Taylor or Finley. Governor Durbin
course has removed the mask Of fai
ness. He might as well come OF
openly and say that the Kentuck
fuyiti'eS are prominent republican
That they are accused Of nothing bl
colSpiring 10 aSs~assinate a democrat
go 'ernor. and that he does not pr,
pose that they shall be annoyed f
any such trihing cause, even if Il
constitution does require him to su
render them"
Ii Hung Chang. the Gladstone