Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-16
FoLK-JERoME CONTROVERSY.
Missouri Governors Views of Bood-
ling and Prosecution.
NEW YORK.

Gov Folk was not inclined 10 consider
District Attorney Jerome'5 last interview
seriously enough to reply to #, at jefferson
City. Mo, last night When asked for
expression on Mr.. Jerome's statements that
a prosecuting attorney should not be an in
vestigator and Mr.. Jerome's reasons why
rich men are so seldom convicted. Gov.
Folk said
Il have no criticism OF Mr.. Jerome 20
make. and have said what / have because
he rendered it necessary by his uuwdrranted
attacks, which / am persuaded were the re-
suit OF thoughtlessness rather than premedl-
tation. For him personally l have only tho
kindliest feeling"
Gov. Folk said he was incorrectly quoted
to the New York grand jury as having ex-
pressed the opinion that the insurance men
committed no crime. My views on the sub
ject have been repeatedly expressed and
published just to the contrary" said Gov.
Folk, that the insurance hooters, If publish
ed reports were correct. should be prose-
cuted. l have not pretended however, to
express an opinion in any particular case,
as | am not familiar enough with the facts
to do that, but spoke merely of the i'm
portance of exposing and Furnishing this
kind OF graft the same as other species OF
graft
"A prosecuting attorney should not be in
huenced by public clamor TO do what he
thinks he should not do. neither should he
be Influenced by those implicated who clam
or that there is public clamor. 1t rarely
happens, though, that the public clamors for
the prosecution of an innocent man. " hat
Is called public ClamOr by those afraid OF
justice is generally a healthy demand for
the punishment OF the guilty. There should
be such demand in every community II
there were no demand that those guilty
OF murder, bribery or graft be punished,
ii would indicate a very low state of pub
lie morals / dare say, no one in New
York wants an innocent man prosecuted.
1T is not part of my business to inter-
fere in these matters, and ! would Eave
had nothing to say except for Mr.. Jerome's
remarkable interview. He sought to excuse
nou-action in the insurance corruption, not
on the ground of innocence of the parties.
but by assailing the Missouri prosecutions
as having brought the law into dlsrepUtc.
These prosecutions brought boodlers into
disrepute and engendered a wholesome re-
spect for the law.
I accord to every man the right to think
as he pleases and give him the credit Of
being sincere. Men may honestly diner IN
judgment. There is one statement In Mr.
Jerome's reply | should like to refer TO
especially rot to critcse him, but because
the idea he expresses has been OF incalcula-
BILE detrment to the enforcement Of law IN
this country.
n prosecuting officer should be an investiga-
tor l differ from him decidedly This
notion has caused many prosecuting at
torney to sit cross-legged in idle ease while
corruption ragged around him, unheeded ana
unchecked.
II say IT is the duty of a prosecuting at
tCrney to investigate, and to investigate ag-
gressively, every report Of corruption. and
drag into the sunlight Of publicity those
crimes that in the nature Of things are al
ways done in the dark and In secret In
crimes against the individual such as lar
ceny or murder the person robbed or the
family of the deceased will carry the facts
to the prosecutor. But in crimes against the
public such as bribery. there is usually no
one to bring the evidence up. Those impli-
Gated are interested in conceallng Il. The
entire public is prosecutor, and unless the
prosecutor investigates and digs out the
evidence such crimes can rarely be uncoV-
cred or prosecuted"