The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-01-23

ACNioO duu COUlly tn0 criminal
and penal laws of the United
States which has been prepared
and introduced by Representative
Warner Of Illinois congress will
settle the noted question as to
whether United States" is a sim
gular or plural term and wheth-
er it should be followed by a sin
gular or plural verb. The first
section of Mr.. Warmers volumi-
nous bill reads:
Whoever owing allegiance to
the United States levies war
against it, or adheres to its enc
mics, giving them aid and COM
fort within the United States or
elsewhere, is guilty of treason.
The "Unlted States" is treated
as singular throughout the bill
and Col. Warner says that it is so
used in the present bill for the
first time IN the codifcation of
the laws of the United States. In
treating United States" as a
singular term the Illinois con-
gresham Overruled the desire OF
the commission which was ap-
pointed by President Mckinley
under an act of congress to re-
wise and codify the national pen
al laws. The commission is com.
posed of Aelx G. Botkln. Dav-
id K. Watson and w. d. Bv-
mum. After giving the SUBJ
ject due consideration these
three legal authorities decided to
follow the old style and the first
section of the code as prepared
by the commission used the plur-
al form.
Attorney General Knox, to
whom the commission submitted
the results of its labors, approx
ed the use of the plural form.
Congressman Warner. however.
holds that the time has arrived
when our laws should be written
in such a manner as to conform
with the latest and best usage.
So he went over the report of the
the commission and carefully
the plural verbs and
pronouns to the singular wher-
ever they followed or referred
TO United States"
The inseperaDle unity OF the
United States is a hobby with
Col. Warner. He made an hon
CRADLE record during the civil
war fighting for that principle.
Indeed, he is distinguished as the
only member of the Illinois dele
cation in congress who has a.war
record and he says that he re-
CARDS the use of the singular in
thenew penal statutess as anoth-
er forceful but unobtrucive
memorial to the men who gave
their lives for the preservation
Of the union.
aside from the sentimental.
said Col. Warner, in discussing
his bill, Il am in good company
in the position / have taken in
the matter, for Hamilton Jeffer-
son, Webster, Silas Wright, Mar
cy, Seward, Fish, Evarts, Blaine
Edmunds, Gresham, Oh
ney aud many other authorities
used United States as a singu-
lar term. Besides these | find
that such authorities on interna-
tional law as Woolsey of Yale
and Moore of Columbia have
constantly done likewise. Pres
idents Lincoln, Grant, Cleveland,
and Mckinley recog-
nized the singular. The last
three named, so far as can learn,
used this form exclusively. In
treaties made years ago by this
government the plural form was
recognized, but in the treaty
with Spain of 1898 the term
United States uniformly is treat
ed in the singular. In the Hay
Pauncefote treaty. which was re.
Gently ratified by the senate, the
term is singular. For this rea-
son / do not believe the senate
will rise up in righteous indlgna-
ton because another old form
is being abandoned.