The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-12-06

Win Live lsSueb, oucn 40 AiJunc-
tions, Lynchings and Their Causes,
and Other Matters of Vital Inter
est to the Whole Country.
The following is the substance of
the annual message of President
Roosevelt to Congress, rs read in bot'i
houses:
Introductory.
10 the Senate and House Of Repres-
entatives:
AS nation we still continue to en-
Joy literally unprecedented prosper
ity; and it is probable that only reck-
less speculation and disregard Of ligi-
innate business methods on the part
of the business world can materially
mar this prosperity.
No Congress in our time has done
more good work of Importance than
the present Congress. There were
several matters left unfinished at
your last session. however, which l
most earnestly hope you will COM
plete before your adjournment.
Corporation Campaign Contributions.
l again recommend law prohib-
iting all corporations from contribu-
ting to the campaign expenses of any
party. Such bill has already past
one House of Congress. Let indivi-
duals contribute as they desire; but
let us prohibit in effective fashion all
corporations from making contribu-
tions for any political purpose, di
rectly or indirectly.
Government g Right to Appeal in
Criminal Gases.
Another bill which has past one
House of the Congress which it is
urgently necessary should be enacted
into law is that comforting upon the
Government the right of appeal in
criminal cases on questions of law.
This right exists i'll many of the
States; it exists in the District of
Columbia by act of the Congress. 1t
Is Of course not proposed that in any
ease verdict for the defendant on
the merits should be set aside. Re
Gently in one district where the Gov
ernment had indicted certain person
for conspiracy i'll connection with re-
bates, the court sustained the defen-
dant,s demurrer; while in another All
indictment for conspiracy to obtain
rebates has been sustained by the
court, convictions obtained under it
ard two defendants sentenced to i'm
prisonment. The two cases referred
tc may not be in real conflict with
each other, but it is unfortunate tha:
there should even be an appearen,
conflict. AT present there is no way
by which the Government can cause
such conflict, when it occurs, to be
solved by an appeal to higher court
and the wheels of justice are blocked
without any real decision of the ques
ton. | can not too strongly urg
the passage Of the bill in question
A failure to pass it will result il
seriously hampering the Government
in its effort TO obtain justice, espec
tally against wealthy individuals OF
corporations who do wrong; and ma
also prevent the GoYernm.lr from OBJ
tanning justice for wageworkers VIII,
are not themselves able effectively I,
contest case where the judgment o.
an inferior count has been agains
them. i have specifically in view ,
recent decision by a district judg,
leaving railway employees withou
remedy for violation Of certain so
called labor statute. 1t seems an alb
surdity to permit district jued,
against what may be the judgmen
oil the immense majority of his col
leagues on the bench, to declare
policy Of resorting to the crimina
law solemnly enacted by the Congress
to be unconstitutional" and thel
to deny the Government the right I,
have the Supreme Court defnitel
decide the question.
1t is we'll to recollect that the rea
efficiency of the law often depend
not upon the passage of acts as t.
which there is great public excite
AhSANt btb hpOi rliS pb9odS' VI utlS u
this nature as to which there is no
much public excitement, because ther
is little public understanding of thei
Importance, while the interested pal
ties are keenly alive to the desira
bility of defeating them. The impol
tance of enacting into law the par
ticular bill in question is further i'll
creased by the fact that the Govern
ment has now definitely begun
law in those trust and interstat
commerce cases where such cours
offers a reasonable chance of success,
Setting Aside of Judgments an
Granting of New Trials.
In connection with this matter,
would like to call attention to til
very unsatisfactory state Of our cirn
inal law, resulting in large part frol
the habit Of setting aside the juds
ments of inferior courts on technica
tiles absolutely unconnected with I'll
merits of the case, and where thel
is no attempt to show that there hs
been any failure of substantial ju
tice. 1t would be well to enact la
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