Evening journal., 1902-08-25

-
ance in office; in certain cases these
rumors have been shown TO be true;
human nature is pretty much the same
in all instances. and therefore. all men
holding office are guilty. and are not
Ientitled to have their rights protected.
Now since this philosophy sets aside
all the rules of legal procedure, it is
useless for us to utter even a feeble
protest. Yet we are rash, and persist
Our contemporary makes the mild
and courteous declaration that our
hands "are still dirty with the rebate
by which we bribed the sheriff for his
official business" There are papers
which would answer this by the
familiar epithet, LIAR" and there are
those who would see that the writer Of
the words had to eat them, even though
it required physical force to make him
do IL: but that is not our way. In
many instances the heart is all right,
the trouble being with that part Of the
i 1lAeibbAhl NAANAR ANe~'OA VANaAAAos anu
we really hope that the sheriff will be-
merciful and not put the offending
party behind the bars for libel; yet if
it should happen, and the Citizens AS
sociation should lose its guide, lumin-
airy and mouthpiecce, we will forgive
all. and go regularly to FarnhuTst to-
minister unto its new inmate.
| We have been taken to task for say
ing that the tax collectors have Ger
tain rights that other men are bound
to respect. We were relying on an ac-
ceptance Of the ordinary principle Of
law which extends to even criminals,
the protection Of presuming them in
nocent TIL they have been proved guilty
by competent court. But it seems
that we are mistaken, the Star speaks
Of the officials in question as "the cul-
prits who are now under the surveil-
lance of the Citizens Association and
the Attorney General" Thus their
guilt is assumed, and OF course, this
cannot be regarded as libelous, since
the Stars editor is a member of that
association. and knows what will be
proved before the case comes TO trial.
His betrayal of its secrets may not ap-
pear as wise. yet there are certain dis
agreeable duties which a moral leader
and a great reformer must not shirk.
We notice in the same connection that
our contemporary speaks of the efforts
to break up a nest of thieves; we are
/ bound to infer that this means the Of
icers in question are a part OF the
brood of this nest, yet we hope that
our friend will not be called upon to
defend a libel suit
Our acighbor seems to think that
our statement that public documents
/ should not go outside of the offices OF
the persons responsible for their safe
keeping, and bound by them. reflects
: on the integrity Of those who have had
them in temporary possession. We
may be wrong, and therefore. we pro-
D pose TO send man down TO borrow the
D Stars books. that we may go over them
E at our leisure. show them TO our
Q friends. and see whether it hasn't been
t guilty Of evil practices in securing
e printing contracts. We will return
S them at our leisure, and we are GER
s tain that we cannot be accused of
tampering with them.
I We are advised to wait till we ''read
e the report Of the special committee OF
r the Citizens Association, now in course
l. of preparation" This is Illuminating
II to be sure. Now when we read this
e report what will we do? Presumably
a II it charges any person with crime
70 we are to regard it as proof, especially
le IL the erudite editor of the Star hap
Id pens to be on said committee. The ole
a. course would have been TO have brough
s. the case before a competent court, anS
ut to allow Judge and jury to have
X guess, but all that is changed. Tn
in new method of procedure is for al
e. editor with fertile imagination to pre-
to fer charges in his paper. Then the as
sociation OF which he is member
If. finds a verdict of guilty. because
~ cannot question his word. This vel
r. dict he announces TO his delighte
ut readers. and all live happily ever after
his ward. 1t saves time and expense, a
m no judge or jury is required. and q
ch accused is not put to the trouble {
or. making a defense. This editor has to'
nj either too much or too little.
OF