Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-07-05
Ahout bid pafton Case.

l Cuu kDuu ~ WtShOaN hcSAb
tice OF certain phases OF the prosecu'
ton;
There Is talk Of q pardon for ex'
Senator Burton. We wonder how
many people ever really considered
what Is meant by the conviction OF D.
R. Burton and bis sentence to hne
and imprisonment
To the first place, three or four
justices Of the supreme court, includ'
ing Justice Brewer, say that II Bur-
ton did all be IL charged with doing
be com mltted no crime. Think OF
this: an act which three judges OF the
greatest court in the world do not
recognize as a crime! II anything 10
the law lie immovable 1t 10 the rule
that q charge Of crime must allege an
act which is beyond all doubt q crime.
There may be differences Of opinion
as to the facts concerning what was
done, but there should never be such
difference as to the meaning OF q stat
ute defining a crime. Burton's client
was not trying to get any money from
the United States, and therefore, &C.
cording to the three judges, the
United States had no "interest" 10
the case. These Judges maintained
that the statute was intended to pre-
vent congressman from using their
positions and influence to help loot
the government. II Burton's clients
we're not even offending against the
govern ment, Of course the govern
ment had no interest pecuniaFy or
otherwise. Such was the case, % the
govern ment decided that the parties
had done no wrong and they were not
intUriered with.
But now let us look deeper at the
real status Of the statute. II Senator
Burton had performed . mighty SER
vice to some constituent or some
cliont-some task like passing bill
or procuring an executive ruling
which would have cost the govern
ment millions OF dollars, and had
taken NO cash pay for IL, he could not
be found guilty under the Statute. II
he had helped some client get gov.
ornmenL contract with million dol
lars Of profit in 1t aud had depended
for his reward on the disposition Of
his client to reciprocste at some iu.
ture time, he would have broken no
statute. His offense lay 10 taking q
few hundred dollars to defend people
who claimed to have been wrongfully
accused and who we're afterwards ex.
by the government. II is
that every lawyer
every msn-may apply his talents to
The aid Of anyone who has been wrong |
fully accused. A dusty statute says
It must not be done II the lawyer 10 .
and II he Is TO get cash
pay. II be only gets reciprocal favors
DO may do so Ia spite Of his being q
Every member Of both branches Of
has q Thousand times done
avors for constituents 10 matters Of
interest to the United States, pecunl.
'rily and otherwise, expecting pay in
he way Of political support and other
Orms Of reciprocity. 1t will DO =
orVy day for the republic when jus
Ice goes blind to principle and eS-
euce and sees only technical viola.
ions Of Statutes defiuiug Artificial
rimss. No cruelty Of shy govern.
nsut ever exceeded the putting j. &.
Iurton out Of the senate aud into
'riSou, ovsrturuing for = twO-Penny 6
natter the career Of an ambitious
nan, the happiness Of gentle and ,
wing wife aud the welfare Of mahy I
riends-to say nothing Of putting on I
be fair name OF the State Of Kansas
Ihich 1t could Ill afford to carry.
urton was a fool to Eangle up the q
usiness Of being a United States
snator with money earning such as r
lat Involved 10 this case. Burton /
ever was q pet Of this paper. Not '
ne can be found 10 1t, at least for Q
ls past dozen years, vouching for )
In or recommending bin or ex. /,
resiing belief 10 him. He has had
ir treatment aud nothing more. a
ut The Journal does not hesitate TO Il
y that sending Burton to jail, u It .
done. will be az outrage. The
does not al The crime,
Concerning the rumor that Col. a
II. - q. Un.. 49,. :.