The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-07-08
VERDICT IN MITCHELL CASE.

One of the ironies of conditions in
this country was the announcement
by the public press on the morning of
the Fourth of July, that Senator of
the United States, now holding Office,
had been found guilty of felony
founded upon the de1rauding of the
government of the United States. No
better evidence that the great vice OF
our age and country is avarice could
be had. The ordinate desire for great
wealth is admittedly the greatest
danger which threatens us. The day
was not long ago when United States
Senators found honor and glory
enough in representing a great state
in the highest legislative body of the
land without seeking after the splen-
dor and tinsel of wealth, but now men
who try to fill the seats of Webster,
Clay, Calhoun, Benton and others, are
indicted by the grand juries and found
guilty by petit juries of one of the
meanest and basest of crimes; that of
defrauding the country they have
taken an oath to serve we'll and hon.
estly.
| Patriotism means the love of coun-
try. One might be a patriot and be
guilty of some of the greatest crimes
described in penal codes. There have
been such men, but one can not be a
patriot who despoils his country. Sen
ator Mitchell of Oregon is the third
United States Senator within the last
two years indicted for crimes of this
character. When we consider that
there are just two senators from each
state in the United States we can east.
| ly figure out the percentage of con-
victed criminals in our highest legis.
lative body.
| Senator Mitchell is convicted OF
completely in startling land frauds
which had for their object the stealth
of millions of acres of the public do
main by thieves and boodlers. The
technical charge against Mitchell was
that of practicing as an attorney be-
fore the departments of the United
States government for compensation
while occupying Office OF senator OF
the United States. But the evidence
showed that he was guilty of very
much more. There really was no de-
tense. His attorneys tried to free
him on technicalities but there was
nothing left for the jury to do but to
find him guilty, and strangely enough
they found him guilty and recommend l.
ed him to the mercy of the Court.
1t is passing strange how a jury after
being compelled to find man of, such
intelligence and such advantages as
United States senator must possess
should find it meet and proper to rec
ommend mercy. This last phase il
Illustrates how far and how deeply the
spirit of avarice ana greed has bored
| it's way into the very lives of the peo-
pie. The average man today has ar.
rived at that point where he believes
that graft and Doodle is perquisite
official is indicted, tried and found
guilty the average man really feels
sorry for him, reasoning that he is no
worse than the rest, only more un-
fortunate. 1t is this feeling among
the people which is the great danger
to our country. Thievery and bribery
by public officials is winked at by
many communities. 1t is not so much
what the rascals are able to steal
but it is the debasing influence which
their example has upon the body pol
itic that does great damage.
1t is scandalous that there are in the
United States senate scores of men
who in one way or another are engaged
in defrauding the United States gov
eminent But it is actually Ominous
for the stability of our government
that there are voters enough in many
of the states to send such men to the
United States senate. 1t is far worse
that there should be so many, them
selves innocent of actual wrong doing,
who are willing to condone such of.
fences in public officials.
The prospect is not without hope,
however. If there are thieves in the
United States Senate it is also true
that there are prosecuting attorneys
and judges who have the courage, the
determination and the power to send
the rascals to the penitentiaries As
long as there are few such prosecut'
ing officers the future is not without
hope, for after all the majority of men
are naturally honest, and when they
learn that public officials may not steal
with impunity but are treated like
other common thieves then they will
cease electing such men. 1t is well
at this time also that we have as Pres
ident of the United States man who
has the courage to root out graft wher
: ever he finds it, and while there are
many of us who think that even he
; made mistake in his recent attempt
! to defend his friend and administra
; tive officer, Paul Morton, yet, never
theless, we know that his intentions
: are right, that his purpose Is strong