New-York tribune., 1901-08-25
LETTING THINGS SLIDE.
AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF CRIME
LEFT UNFINISHED. AS SHOWN
BY A BRITISH GOVERN
MENT REPORT JUST
ISSUED.

ISSUED.
Lord Desart. whose name is familiar TO Amer
leans the father Of Mrs w Bayard Cutting.
jr, the only titled daughter Of the British aris-
tocracy, married 10 a citizen Of the United
States. has within the last fortnight issued his
annual report as Director OF Public Prosecutions
for the United Kingdoms of Great Britain. 1t
is an extraordinary document. for IL shows that
in the twelve months which have lately come to
a close the Earl. whose office is analogous to
that of a District Attorney in this country, un-
dertOok the prosecution Of only 449 cases,
large proportion Of which were capital offences
while not few were for breaches Of special acts
Of Parliament, such the Metalliferous Mines
Regulations act" and violations OF the new
statutes relating 10 company mongering and
promoting. II is manifest. therefore. that an i'm
nense amount Of crime remains unpunished.
and that II is the exception rather than the rule
for offenders to be brought TO Justice. Indeed
IL may be said without exaggeration that for
every instance Of rogue being brought to jus
tice by the State there are thousands who go
scot free. II is only fair TO say that this conoi-
tion Of affairs is in no sense due TO any negli-
gence on the part Of Lord Desart. but 20 the
refusal Of the Treasury TO place at his disposal
the funds requisite for efficient service in
this branch Of the administration. the budget
Of which is limited to s125.OO0 year. of which
he himself and his three principal assistants
take $4,000 in salaries II is ridiculous. Of course
10 imagine that any adequate results can be
achieved with alch small outlay. But the
Treasury seems 10 assume that il is the duty
of the individual citizen and not Of the State to
prosecute. and that. in capital cases, the
government should not be called upon TO under
take the expense OF prosecuting crime unless the
latter is perpetrated against the State-that is
the commonwealth.
Lord Desert isa handicapped in any action that
he might be disposed 10 take in the nature of an
aDpeaI either to the government 10 Parlia-
roent for greater libeTality the part OF the
Treasury by the fact that he is an official not
of the Department of the Interior-that is. the
Home Office which controls the police. the pris-
ons and the Criminal Investigation Bureau
but Of the Treasury itself. his title being D-
rector OF Public Prosecutions and Solicitor to
the Treasury
Unfortunately. the general public does not I'VE
,,n IN ,be exnectatbons Of tie Treasury in the
matter OF individual prosecution OF crime "h'on
consequently enjoys immunity TO such degree
as ~ constitute an encouragement. nay, even
an invitation 10 do wrong. Where. are many rea-
sons why citizens do not care TO prosecute at
their own expense those who have committed
crimes In the first place, there is the cost
which is looked upon in nine cases out OF ten
as throwing good money after bad. and as not
bsins worth the traditional candle. Then there
is the trouble the Inconvenience of having 10
appear in court and to sit through long ana
tedious proceedings while. lastly, there Is the
dread OF publicity and of having ones entire lire
subjected TO the most searching investigation On
the part Of the counsel for the defence, who. OF
course make ii a business to place an evil con-
struction upon everything that is capable OF
tvyofold interpretation-andE what is there that
is not?
II will be seen from this that there are many
considerations to prevent the better class OF citi
zens and the most reputable members OF the
community from undertaking individually the
prosecution of crime. even when they themselves
have been the victims thereof. True, occasion
Ally some one will be found who feels himself
prompted by an overpowering sense OF public
duty 10 take steps toward having justice done
But as a rule one experience of this kind is
sufficient. What may be described as civic pa
triotisn receives no encouragement but very
much the reverse, from the exponents OF the
law from the government officials and even
from the public and everything contributes 10
influence him in the direction Of letting things
slide"