Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-09-03
WHY NOT TAYLOR?
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S LETTER
TO GOVERNOR DURBlN.
Should Suggest the Propriety Of the Latter
Surrenderins Ex-Governor Taylor to the
Authorities. Shielding One Accused Of
Murder is Surely Not "Expeditns Justice"

In his letter to the governor OF Indiana,
President Roosevelt very properly en-.
tered strong protest against lynching.
There are, however, in that letter some
statements that might be interpreted
into rebuke for the course pursued by
the Indiana governor with respect to Mr..
Taylor, former governor Of Kentucky.
Mr.. Roosevelt probably did not intend
that anything in that letter should be
construed in connection with the Taylor
case and Governor Durbin probably did
not read the letter in the light Of his at
titude toward the notorious fugitive. AT
the same time, however, some Of the
things Mr.. Roosevelt said should be
carefully considered by the Indiana gov
erner and should prompt him to surren-
der the fugitive Taylor to the Kentucky
authorities.
Mr.. Roosevelt said: 1.-The slightest
lack Of vigor in denouncing the crime or
bringing the criminal to justice is in
itself objectionable. Moreover. every
effort should be made under the law to
expedite the proceedings OF justice in the
case OF such an awful crime" To be
sure, Mr., Roosevelt here refers explicitly
to criminal assault, but he would not
undertake to say that the rule he has
laid down does not with equal propriety
apply to every crime.
Mr.. Roosevelt said: 1T certainly
ought to be possible by the proper ad-
ministration OF the laws to secure swift
vengeance upon the criminal, and the
best and immediate efforts Of all legisla-
tors. judges and citizens should be ad.
dressed to securing such reforms in our
legal procedure as to leave no vestige OF
excuse for those misguided men who un-
dertake to reap vengeance through vio-
lent methods" And again Mr.. Roose-
welt said that "the law must work swiftly
and surely and all the agents Of the law
should realize the wrong they do when
they permit justice to be delayed or
thwarted for technical or insufficient
reasons" Again Mr.. Roosevelt said:
eve must show that the law is adequate
to deal with crime by freeing it from
every vestige Of technically and delay"
The present governor OF Indiana, as
we'll as his republican predecessor, per.
mitted Mr.. Taylor, the former governor
Of Kentucky, to find refuge in the
Hoosier state. Mr.. Taylor is charged
with being accessory to the murder OF
Governor Goebel and SO far all efforts to
persuade the Indiana executive to sur.
render Taylor to the Kentucky authori-
ties have failed.
Neither Mr.. Roosevelt or Governor
Durbin would undertake to say that the
rules herein quoted and as laid down by
the president do not apply to all crimes
and yet while Mr.. Roosevelt presents
these rules in very dramatic way and
Governor Durbin accepts them IS being
an Endorsement OF his course with respect
to the Evansville riots, it is not at all
probable that Mr.. Roosevelt will ever
address to the governor OF Indiana a
letter by way OF rebuke for the course
pursued in providing protection to Mr..
Taylor, the fugitive from Kentucky JUS.
tice. And it is not at all probable that
Governor Durbin, while pretending to
adhere to these rules, will withdraw his
protection from Mr.. Taylor and permit
the sheriff to return him to Kentucky in
order that he may be required to answer
to the serious charge preferred against
him.