Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-10-15
THE CORVALLIS GAZETTE.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER Is, 1901.
ANALYTICAL.

pan AOA IhS SCANoSio'A Va SiA
archists and embody it in an eff i
fcient law. This is the prerog-
atlve of congress. Yet it Is not
aniss for citizens to make sug-
gestions. In fact, it is COM
mendable and helpful, and will
be appreciated by members of con-
gress because it will enable them
to know the trend of public SEN
tin1ent i'll their respective dis
tricts. Many suggestions have
been made, soma Of which are
quite absurd and imprac.icable.
We have seen but one, or rssen-
tally but one, elaborated scheme
for congressional action. 1t has
appeared in a number of states
and localities with so little varia-
ton as to be practically identical.
1t proceeds on the view that con-
gress will declare anarchists pub
lie enemies, and their acts those
of war. 1t then suggests the crea'
ton of a special court composed
Of officers of the U. S. army and
navy WHICH shall exist specified
number of years, as tea, shall
hold its sittings in the Judicial
district in which the crime has
been committed. 1t shall first
proceed upon information as a
grand jury now does, and if the
facts laid before it are such as
would cause grand jury TO re-
turn an indictment, then, and
not before, it shall issue its war
rant of arrest and cause such per-
son to be brought before it fol
trial, and the proceedings Of such
trial shall be according to the
rules and practice which govern
courts martial.
The personnel of such a court
would be of the highest character,
for it would be composed of edu
Gated men, familiar with the laws
of evidence. trained in searching
out facts and setting them ir
theft proper relation. It woule
be above all partisan influence
beyend the reach Of bribery, ane
would conduct its inquiries in thu
most impersenal manner. A mer'
military court of inquiry, rarely
court martial, never, glosse
things. It digs patiently fo
facts and heeds little else. Un
like courts martial, this pro
posed court would first inquire a!
to probable cause for arrest ant
trial, SO that no one would be ar
rested Under mere suspicion, no
as the result of spite OF ill.will
Military men are trained to be-
ware of prosecutions instituted
through these motives. A cour
on which Dewey, Miles, Otis
Howard, Anderson, Chafes ane
such men might sit, could be
confidently trusted TO render JUS
tice to the most obscure defend
ant. The economy of such {
court is a commendable feature
Since all its members are already
in liberal pay of the government
there would be no extraordinary
expenses incurred to pay salaries,
while the incidental expenditure:
would be immateria1 when COM
pared with those of the ordinary
courts.
Requiring the court to sit ii
the judicial district where the
crime may have been committed
is the constitutional provision,
and prevents carrying accused
persons long distances from the
scene of their crime, possibly far
from friends, to receive trial.
Proceeding according to the
rules which govern courts mar.
tia1 shuts cut the confusing, dila.
tory technicalities, which usually
mark and mar the proceedings Of
The civil courts and not unfre.
quently defeat the ends of Jus.
tice. Trials before the court are
open and public. The same
laws of evidence are observed in
admitting and weighing testi-
mony here as in other courts, and
facts are determined by practical.
1y the same methods. Such
courts administer justiee-cold,
calculating, incisive, merciless
justice.
The proposed constabulary, Oh
officers who execute the man
dates of the court, are to be Sc.
1ected from the enlisted men oil
the army, and veterans of the
Civil and the Spanish wars.
Their duties would be similar ir
all respects to these devolvine
upon U. S. marshals and theil
deputies. Since, as a rule, they
would be peculiarly well quail
fed for such duties. and weulo