The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-13
JUGE SCATHES vI5ATORS OF LAW Robert F. Cochran Charges Mississippi, Grand Jury USES PLAIN LANGUa AGE Says He Does Not Care fl or'''o'smS From Any Source, But he"0s 10
 force Law In His
 Circuit.
USES PLAIN LANGUAGE

Meridian, Miss. September 12-(Spet i A special from Quitman, Miss, sh that Judge Robert r. Cochran opened L circuit court there today with a stirrinA charge to the grand jury.
 This is the first session of the court since Clarke county was placed in the Tenth judicial district Judge Cochrans address to the grand jury follows:
 Gentlemen on the grand jury the statute requires me to charge you concerning your duties, and to expound the law to you as I may deem it proper and neees- sary.
 Before calling your attention to the numerous offenses denounced by the law, 1 desire to make a few preliminary ob- servations in respect to the enforcement; of the law which I think is needful at this time. All of the essention principles of the criminal law are founded upon and taken from the Divine law, and in the main are declared in the Ten Com mandments. The wisdom of the good and wise men who have lived in the past have developed and formulated a perfect sys- tenn of law for the government of man which, if rigidly and wisely enforced, would very much lizen the government of earth to the government of heaven No state ever had a better and more per- feet system of laws than the state of Mississippi. The most efficient measures have been adopted for the punishment of crime but unfortunately the trouble is in its enforcement. The enforcement of the law rests solely upon the good citizenship of those charged with It's en- forcemen:.
 Must Enforce the Law.
 Good cftizapcbfr not o,I., ,ao,,irae q, ,a man should have a good character. but he must at the same time stand for the enforcement of the law. If he under. stands that every blessing which he en- joys comes to him from the protection afforded him by the law A good citizen must not only stand for the enforcement of the law, but he must be willing and ready at all times to use all of his efforts to compel others to obey the law A good citizen must be willing to give the ser vices of citizenship for the privilege of citizenship. want you to understand that q man may be thoroughly respectable, church-going, home loving, debt paving and still, by his indifference and neglf- gence be an ally to the forces of evil who constantly seek to overthrow all law. A negative character of this kind Is worth nothing to a community and may be positive nuisance.
 Hates Man Without Backbone. God Almighty hates a man without a backbone, and I mean man who has not only sufficient backbone to stand for the enforcement of the law. but a back bone that will equip him at all times to l use his power and influence to compel evil doers to obey the law. Every blessing which you enjoy by the protection of the law was conceived and established by | men who had the courage of their con 1 Victions. Any man who Is unwilling tc stand for the right and to fight for ii | and insist upon it's dominance in the | community is not, and cannot be, a use | ful member of society
 If there Is man on this grand jury 1 who Is not a good citizen in the sense l l have defined the term, he Is not fit to do grand jury service, or any sort of | public service. One of the difficulties l that stands at the very threshold in the | enforcement of our law is our jury sys- 1 tenn. l am making my campaign with the l boards of supervisors, who make out the 1 jury list, and shall endeavor in every 1 way possible to impress upon them the | great fact that a Just and wise admin ] istration of ne law depends largely upon their good citizenship ana common hon. esty. If the grand juries will not indict | and the petit juries will not convict, | Intend to place the responsibilities upon | the boards of supervisors, who put them on the jury list.
 Ought to Be In Stripes.
 A member of a board of supervisors | who places a blind tiger or other crim. i inal or man who sympathizes with the criminal class, on the jury list ought to have stripes placed upon him and Dc compelled to work the public roads with | a crowbar for twelve months. If the boards of supervisors or the Tenth dis trict do not stop debauchng the public
 service by putting the ignorant and criminal classes on the jury list, I intend to pour hot vitrlol down their backbones that will not only take off the hide. but remove some of the joints as well. Nont but law and order men nave any right tf do jury service, and I shall not hesitate to expel the criminal class from tn juries, and in proper cases publicly de
 nounce the supervisors who put them oi the jury lists as eorruptors of public jus tice: if they will not heed my warnings
 they shall suffer before the par of publ
 opinion.
 Sympathy for Criminals.
 Another sad and shameful difficulty that stands in the way of the enforce ment of the criminal law in this sate ii