The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-03-29
T. for one, can find no words bitter

l, for one, can find no words bitter
enough to denounce system that offers
40 many temptations to the weak pros
ecuting attorney, and that placed a
stain on Milwaukee in the indictment
of innocent men that no amount OF IN
cidental good can wipe out In this
position l stand as one among thousands
of our best citizens. Mr.. Choate calls
the system "antiquated." Mr.. Reed
dubs the grand jury system as "barbar'
ous," while professor in one OF our
foremost law schools "blushes with
shame at this stigma on our civillza-
ton"
The free American who braved every
danger to escape monarchial tyranny
and persecution naturally looks upon
the grand jury system as an antiquated'
uncivilized, discredited institution, on
a par with the pillory, witchcraft trials
and the inquisition. Whatever good
the grand jury, when honestly admins
tered, may accomplish is to his mind
purchased at the expense of manhood
and liberty. But when the grand jury
system is prostituted into base political
machine and ruled over by an over
jealous official it is then that the true
Americans inherent contempt for the
system changes into hatred too wide
and deep to compass.
I have no friends to protect, and no
enemies to punish. write not as
party man, but as a calm citizen, with
no favors to ask, and no fears to stay
me. And in the capacity of a sincere,
law abiding citizen, having only the
ultimate good of humanity at heart, |
repeat that it is my firm conviction now,
as it has been for some time in the past,
that the three late grand juries called
in Milwaukee county were partisan.
This is y serious charge, and no amount
of buster or idle talk can in the smallest
degree lessen the weight of the heinous
crimes this charge carries with it. 1t
this charge is true, and the evidence is
cumulative and incontrovertible, then
we must sustain the mayor in his
righteous Indignation, and may well
weep for Milwaukee, for no crime can
be more heinous in hberty-loving
country than is the prostitution Of our
judiciary institutions.
No system of calculus and no law of
chance can bring it to pass in million
years to place twelve men of minor
political faction, controlling but one
fourth Of the male suffrage strength of
our city, three consecutive times on a
grand jury of seventeen men.
To my personal knowledge two men
served on one of the grand juries who
have for years accused reputable citizens
of all the crimes in the penal code.
These two men, ipso facto would have
been disqualified TO serve on any petit
jury, yet these same two men-and God
only knows how many more-had the
effrontery to take solemn oath and sit
in judgment over men-over American
citizens-that they had condemned
months before
Now, | ask you, in all fairness, that
if such conditions are possible in Mil
waukee under the protection of our
Judiciary system, where then is our much
Wanted liberty? Where are our rights
guaranteed us by the federal constitu-
ton? And what has become of our
birthright to life, liberty, and the pur-
suit of happiness? If rumor emanating
from such inquistorial bodies can come
NJ a blight to our homes and firesides, if
the assassin thirsting for revenge can
waylay US with impunity, and if the
evildoer is tempted to pur
chase his liberty or immunity with per
jury, who then is safer No one, while
the guillotine days are again upon us.
No amount of good that the grand jury
has incidentally accomplished, or may
accomplish in the future, and no amount
Of fines paid into the treasury, or num-
Der Of guilty men sent to the peniten
tiary can offset the one crime or wipe
out the single stain on fair Milwaukee
that partisan grand jury and mis-
guided district attorney have left be-
hind them-the guilty indictment Of All
innocent man.
RALPH ELMERGREEN.
Milwaukee, March 10.