The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-08-09

Dallas News. As tho law Is supposed
to be the law. and as Mr Moody Az
well as the President ~ sworn to en-.
force the law. it is not easy to under.
stand just why either "a conference or
hand-out was necessary. Attorney
General MO0dys announcement must
have left a painful Impression upon
the minds Of those who kept up with
his remarkable correspondence with
Messrs Judson and Harmon In the
Morton rebat, case evideAtly dictated
by the President This Impression will
be deepened when one recaiss that
while Nlr. Moody declared that the beef
crust cases were 20 be vigorously
pressed he added significant lire re
garding another agreement between
himself and the President to the effect
that the laws Of the United States
should be amended with a view to max
ing the conviction Of criminals more
certain and speedy" One gathers from
this and from more recent int nations
that a snag has been encountered in
the beef trust prosecutions; but wheth.
er it Is Secretary Garhelds report re-.
mains 10 be seen further along
The Kansas City Journal (Rep). in
nocent obviously of the main purpose
Of the excuse which Attorney General
Moody has given out in advance in
sists thst "that suggests the inquiry.
that if the United states laws need
strengthening in order to prevent the
escape of criminals, how much more
do the laws Of Missouri and other
states need it? II is in the federal
courts that we have come 10 look for
the sure and impartial administration
of justice. In state courts cunning
aud tricky lawyers succeed in delaying
and defeating punishment Of guilty
cl ents to an extent that wearies and
dsgusts all right thinking citizens
but in the federal courts the eyil-doer
usually gets what Is coming to him
Yet Attorney General Moody and the
President believe that the loopholes of
escape in the federal cour are too
numerous and that the laws SHOULD be
made more rigid"
The argument is good whether the
excuse" is the best basis for it or not
AS the Journal adds 1T is really
amazing to the average citizen that
something is not done in the matter
of making justice surer and swifter in
the state courts Week after week
month after month and year after year
the public sees guilty wretches go uu-
whipped Of justice simply because The
statutes and the rules of practice per
init attorneys to thrust obstacles in the
shape of technicalities and d latory
procedures in the way Attentlon has
been called to these outrages many
times by the newspapers and by public
speakers; everybody is aware of them
and condemns them. yet no steps are
taken toward remedying the evil"
This is all quite true the country
over and it does appear to be the duty
of courageous press to lead in de.
termined effort to secure better results
in the state courts; but if the Journal
does not mind its eye some 'steemed
contemporary win accuse it OF attempt
ing to blacken the name of its state
and hurt the party, Still It is at least
70 be hoped that Attorney General
Moody may be a triae more successful
in his efforts TO convict the arch Grim.
inals Of means and influence than are
the prosecuting attorneys OF most of
the states, including grand old Texas