Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1905-01-25

G -PSlR police protection, and undoubtedly
there is ample legal talent from which to select cap
able judges Of the courts. And yet the burglars and
robbers and murders continue to escape arrest or TO
eude the hand Of justice, until large proportion Of
the law-abiding element lie well.nigh discouraged.
Only recently two robbers and murderers were kill
ed by sei-deiending citizens who had lost all hope
that the law would protect them. The home Of one
OF these citizens had been burgarized six tines and
the citizen himself in desperation res0red to lying
in wait for the return Of the offender. He came as
usual, as Il by habit, and was fred upon and mortal
ly wounded.
These cases have provoked q leading Chicago.
newspaper to comment the various causes for the
necessity OF such methods the part OF citizens to
protect themselves. The question Is asked in vein
OF sarcasm Why the state Of Illinois, county OF Cook
the social thing, the gOvernment-dOes not act 50
vigilantly as to impress criminals and save them
from the consequences Of greater crimesi The
trouble is that society has been compelled to accept
Law as II 1t we're justice. And our contemporary
adds:
"After law has been going 30 many centuries there
gathers upon it's reverend front thickness called
practice-in fact, ivy under whose dense foliage
any thief with little money or even some maudin
sympathy at hand may securely hide.
'The trial Of the thief having been put over three
or four terms for various reasons Of equal cogency
it is dicOvered to the astonishment Of the consul
that 1t s no longer lawful to try thief that it s no
longer lawtnl to try thief at all, snd he is sent
forth with generous admonitions not to come back
which naturally exciies his mirth
eff, however, the thief have no money be may
have no eminent COUNSEL or at least no counsel who
will operate zeaousy with Law, practice and comfy
Then the thief receives sentence but there is stI
the newest thing in criminal law, the parole. For
instance, the rObber who murdered Detective Keefe
before he was himself killed vas out on parole and
represented that class OF sOrdid rascas who do not
save up 'ialf mOney'-that is monetary supplies for
practice and comfy"
There is the trouble. Justice must cope with the
law-which is far too often series Of technicaIites
By which scOundrels 60 iree-practice, comfy, and
spuli." And the combination, or part OF the same,
far too often cheats justice Of its own. What is the
RESULT That with all it's police force courts Judges
and other machinery for the protection Of society in
Chicago the highwayman, the murderer and the
crook go straight ahead in The pursuit OF their bus
ness the citizens must suffer the terrOrs OF them
until in desperation they lie in wait with loaded
guns to defend themselves
Until greater premium is put upon Justice under
the influence Of an uncomprOmsing public senti-
ment, and less importance attached to the farce
which frequently masquerades behind the name Of
'laW" trials Of criminals will continue 10 be IN
Chicago, as elsewhere, conducted very largely in the
interest Of the offenders rather than for the prOtect
ion Of society.