The sun., 1901-09-27
THE LESSON OF 1T.

PENDANT. in the trial of the murderer Of |
President Mckinley, in the course of his |
remarks to the jury said some things |
that are of supreme Importance to the |
people of this country. Among other |
things he said: This trial here is II
great object lesson to the world" That
is trne: but the emphasis of the lesson is
SSor the people of this country. One Of
the most important things Judge Lewis
said was this:
1t is charged here that our client is an
anarchist. n man who does not believe i'll
any Aw or in any form of government.
JAnd there are. as we are told, other liz
dividlas who entertain that opinion.
We all feel that such doctrines are
dangerous are criminal. are doctrines
that will subvert our government IN
time if they are allowed to prevail.
Gentlemen of the jury, while | believe
firmly in that, do not believe it creates
Il danger to this country equal to the he-
lief, becoming so common. that men who
are charged with crime shall not hc
permitted to go through the form of u
trial i'll Il court of justice. but that lynch
law shall take the place of the calm and
dignited administration of the law Of
our courts of justice.
Only few days ago in conversation
with citizen of this State. an intelli-
gent, discriminating judge of things who
would not make rash assertions about so
serious matter he said:
There are anarchists in this city whose
dead President. There are people here
who live well. who are apparently intel
ligcnt, and who are credited with being
good citizens. who have no respect for
the law: who imagine that the law is fol
some one else. and it can he violated with
impunity when they are interested. and
readily set aside at their request. These
people are practically anarchists. 'nhry
teach and encourage the destruction IF
law
This is severe arraignmcnt. Ii only
needs serious thinking about it to force
assent to its truth. Who is it that can
not number u law breaker among his ac-
quaintances? Who is it that is 50 YER.
'lant rs to imagine that all the law
breakers reach the court for Indictment
and tiial? Not only is il common ful
men to seek to evade the law, but it is
common even for the So-calrd hest riIi-
zcns to regard the performance of civIc
duties as onerous: and there is con-
ftant and general complaint about an
objection to supporting the city or t,lt
State l. is common for men to object
to the paying of taXes-they grumil,
about it, delay it, and do it under com
pulsinn: and yet they claim that the law
should hc lenient, that they should hay,
unusual privileges and immunitieS. be-
cause they are large tax PAYERS" The,
may not know it. hut these people are
inclpiently, anarchists. They oIstrmc
the operation Of law. They express an,
teach discomfort under its rNuctiuns
They evade and violate it whenever in
tereSt prompts and opr Ntunty offers
Somehow or other the doing of thcs
able; not only that, but are. hy some d.
feet Of mental vision. and Judgment. +,
gar,lcd as evincing the spirit of good ct
zenship. How? The man who risk
defence Is the good citizen. and pntrin
but hy what kind of logic can the grunll
lers alout. the evadcrs, and violators q
civic eXactments. be voted good citizen
with him, or with those, who give ttci
all willingly? But who does not kno
that the grumblerS. cvadcrS and viol;
tors OF the law when Self-inteieS is
stake, claim Il monopoly Of the credit
good citizenship?
There is another point upon which "
think there is miSconcrption Of VIII
The law means. AMI what it provides Il
anl allows. 4 good many pcoplc-ir
perhaps som" attorneys-have an id,
that it is al! right to promote I'M evasi,
of the law if that can he done by Il
superior skill, knowledge. industry
reputation of M attorney. In this rcgn
we remember story told of an eminr
attorney, long since dead, but who
name is . synonym Of profound lcarnii
who on bring told that II client whom
had defended against a Charge
murder was acquitted. remarked that
lad expected that, but that 'the Scoui
rel ought to bc hanged. II seems
irS that If this attorneys remark aho
his client meant anything worthy
crrdrncc. il meant that the attorney Ii
violated his obligation to the law in
curing the clients acquitta Jud
Lewis, from whose address to the in
trying the assassin ut Buffalo We hi
quoted, said: When gentlemen bccol
members Of the bar. they become me
hers of the Court" This being true.
cannot understand under what circu
stances IL could become allowable, mll
less duty. for member of the court
aid guilty defendant to escape.
quote again from Judge Lewis:
My associate and myself are here
uphold the law. Some wcakmndnd ~
rc entertain the notion that the law!
who appears IL defence of Il dcftndH
is iii court 20 obStruct the due process
the law, to halk justice and to delay
trchhira'itics. But every man whD knp
The mtmlriS OF the itnr understand ii
this is not so. My associate aud myS
are here for the same purpose that I
learned District Attorney is here, fnl