The Washington herald., 1907-08-04
COURTS GET BLAME
LOndOners Discuss Trial Of
Haywood at Boise.
ROOT OF EVIL POINTED OUT
Spectator Declares ImPerfecti0n of
System Through Which Americans
trust Between CIasses-Says Ju-
dietary Fails in Great Measure.

London. Aug. 3.-Interest Of the most
serious kind has been taken here in the
trial Of Haywood at Boise The Spec
tator devotes the first leader to its con-
sideration. II says:
That which makes the Idaho trial so
depressing Is the extent to which it re-
veals the depth Of the chasm now visible
between the rich and poor. between the
employers and the employed. They ought
in America, where, on the theory that all
are equal. and no one can wnlfully op-
press. 10 be on terms Of kindly regard,
bur they obviously hate one another 10
such an extent that the balance is lost
in prejudice, and society shattered by
what Carlyle called preternaturaI sus-
picion
AT this moment one-half the people
Of the United States believe that Hay
wood was acquitted In defiance Of the
/ evidence because he was the foe Of cap
italists. while the other half are certain
that he was only accused because the
capitalists were determined TO break UP
the trade unions. and brlbed witnesses 70
poison BY accusations of crime the gem
eral body Of opinion. So keen is this
( division Of feeling that Immediately after
the verdict a representative Of the an
archists wrote 10 the President exulting
in the trial as a victory for themselves.
and Mr. Roosevelt quietly published their
/ letter without comment as proof positive
/ Of the public danger He evidently be-
/ lieved. and was justified in the belief,
that all respectable men would under
stand why he submitted the letter 20
/ their eyes, and would sympathize with
/ him In his bitter scorn Of the writers Of
the letter.
Victim of VHIturcs.
Haywood was defended ny his counsel
as the victim OF .vulture capitalists. and
when he was acquitted. before leaving the
court. he thanked each juryman indi-
/ vidually, behaving. in appearance at least.
as soldier might who appreciated the
conduct Of foriorn hope and could not be
content with a general approval.
THE struggle, in truth. has all the BIT
terness Of a civil war, and though in that
war the terrorists cannot win. for In the
last resort the freeholders are the mas
ters Of the union and the freeholders de-
sire order. still the fact that the contest
should have risen 10 such q height In the
model republic Is ,,ost depressing for all
who retain their hopes in the future Of
humanity.
1t is almost as depressing to see how
/ despondent the best Americans are as 10
I the possibility Of finally reforming the
great force 10 which they must look for
The prevention of the actual war in which.
II that force cannot be created. this Bit
terness must end. The root OF the mis-
chief, they cannot but perceive. is the
imperfection OF the system through which
they distribute justice.
Law Not Irresistible.
If the courts could be implicitly trusted.
the anarchists, the extreme socialists. the
labor associations. and syndicates Of cap
italists all alike would gradually be COM
PEELED to carry on their struggles subject
to the full restraints Of law as devised
and interpreted by civilized mankind
There can be no necessity for armed vio-
lence when the law is al once lust and
irresistible The law itself is as Just in
America as in Great Britain but in the
republic 1t Is not irresistible SO many IN
huences Of corruption. of terror and OF
class prejudice are allowed to defect what
ought to be the immutabIe. serene Justice
of the courts that their pacify1ng effect
and the confidence Of the people in their
action are alike destroyed.
, 1t is distrust in the courts which makes
I hatred Of the mIlliOnaires for the work
man so bitter. and the fear Of then
among employees so extravagant: distrust
in the courts which induces the toilers Il
combine for purposes Of menace; dis
trust in the courts which renders verdict.
worthless as instruments for preserving
or creating peace. Something of that dis
trust may be unjust. for there must b,
scores Of honest judges within the Union
and thousands of men who. once sworr
as Jurymen, would no more suppress 0l
| betray their own consciences than tn,
best Of British judges would
Judiciary system Fails.
''But, allowing for that injustice. It i.
clear that in great portion Of the United
States the judiciary system fails. Will,
it is not clear that the pesple. though
they acknowledge she failure will con
D sent to any radical reform. They viii
I not raise their judges above pecuniar,
/ temptation; they viii not c0nfne thei
jury box TO the classes least likely to b,
corrupted, aud they viii not accelerat,
the system Of trial till the opportunities
/ either Of corruption or terror are reduced
, 10 the minimum. Nor apparently vii
they make crime by combination mucl
more penal tan crime by an individual.
These, however. are but suggestions
and the Americans. who are sagacioui
= people. could, if they choose. devise mucl
more effective plans. They do not de
Z wise them. and IN that failure is tn,
: cause Of the hOpelessness even amonl
those who, like ourselves, reckon them
selves as devoted to the Western as to tn
Eastern branch Of our race
1T is as possible TO get courts beyond
the suspicion Of prostituting justice t,
personal considerations as to get regi
ments beyond the suspicion OF cowardice
and in neglecting to get them UNIVERSAL!
the people Of the United States neglec
10 secure the first necessity Of and bes
guarantee for successful civilization
They have secured them in the Suprem
! Court, but they should secure them in tn
l