The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1904-11-13
His Course is Heartily En-
dOrsed by One of Our
Citizens
A CARD ON The SUBJECI
Justice In an interesting communl-
cation, Says Many False Reports
are Circulated Now About the
Police Court.
(Communicated)

considerable discussion Is heard
and much criticism is made since the
opening OF the prs ant municipal cam
paign resardlna t policy Of Mayor
Crovatt in imnosls what his adverse
critics term light lnes in police
court Have sou ever stopped to ask
yourself the question is Judge Croyatt
right, does he do that which the Law
oi the land requires Of him. what his
solemn oath Of Office demands and
what his conscience dictates?" | take
It that YOU have not done so but per-
htps have been led astray by the no
ton Of some crank. fanatic or ward
heeler ana Ike The majority Of man
Kind have jumped at hasty conclu
sion.
That mem" able document the con
stiution of the United States, to up
Lold which the mayor has taken a sol
cmn and binding oath, provides in the
'b,n Of rights The Magma Charta OF
this our great country that no per
son shall be deprived of life
Or liberty without due process OF
law This same document says that
no excessive fines shall be imposed
por cruel or unusual punishment in
dicted That This applies to all courts
there can be no question and to the
police court it should have especiai
application This is the peoples
court. the court where the insight
dcant law breaker. the hardened Grim
inal, the rich and the poor alike know
nc mmnaitY and therefore as mat
Ter Of course the fines must differ ac-
cording as the severity OF the offense
ard the circumstances Of each case de-
mand The mayor is required to do
fdstice without respect to persons and
the law makers have wisely left the
amount Of fue or extent of the punish
ment in the discretion Of the presiding
Judge. He alone can say what Is right
"a the matter Of punishment in this
ease or that and he is answerable to
his conscience that he had done right.
The police court is a court Of record.
Persons accused OF violation of the
city ordinances must be regularly ac-
cused and TIC law intends hat they
be given a rest tectable hearing, care
fui investigation into the facts and cir
clmstances 3f the offense and just
and conscientious judgment followed
bv a fine proUortioned to the gravity
Of the offense, the condition, opportun-
ty and Intelligence OF the offender.
What to one may seem small to the
ether may seem large and to the poor,
unfortunate offender who has $500
t. pay or serve days on the gang it
goes harder that $1,000 or 80 days to
another. The mayor dscerns wisely
ana his conclusions are sound. HI
believes that the prevention of crime
lies not lasssaspusssaA.s%SSrity Of punishment
hut in %She certainty thereof
The popular idea that to be accus-
ca in the police court is a presump-
ton Of guilt Is erroneous. Uniformity
III police court fines would mean tina!
the poor and oppressed would suffer
while those better able to pay and less
susceptible to crime would prodt In
the case Of The poor fellow who
earns $500 a week and in mis- week
end jollfcation winds up in police
court on Monday morning should the
court be expected to take ron him
| ell OF his harG earned wages, deprive
his grocer, his butcher. his landlord
and last and most important his fam
| iiy Of the very necessities Of life mere
iy to swell the city's exchequer, where
i. does little good? II SO, then Judge
Ctoyatt is wrong, otherwise you must
conclude that he is right and it is
our duty to stand by bin and encour
age his policy.
No community can prospe' without
pstlce. Let il be understood that il
your community everybody can get
square deal end your town will pros
per Let It go over the land that you
courts are run on the narrow gauge
| hide bound. pin headed policy an'
your community will 90 to the bow
vows.
In one Of the city councils police
committees reports, politically antaa
onistic to Juige Croyatt. tn commit
tee took occasion recently to crit
else the mayo Sor his light fines
something thev had nothing to d
with, yet that saUe council wnen cal
ed upon Thursday night last to &C
4