davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
PREVENTION OF CRIME.
/ Court Procedure Making IL Even
/ Harder to Convict Criminals.

Harder to Convict Criminals.
Prom the Chicago Chranicle
Within a generation circumstances of
material development have greatly en-
larged the boundaries Of temptation 70
seek gain through criminal practices OF
many kinds--a very serious condition that
has been growing up largely through the
operation Of great Industrial development
and especially through the application of
mechanical power 20 transportation, 10
manufacturing. and 20 printing.
Intelligent knowledge of mankind would
indicate that such a condition makes it
our obvious duty 70 strengthen the laws
which former experience proved neces-
sary for public safety and 10 hold up the
hands OF those charged with enforcing
laws. But instead OF doing this we have
gone wholly the other way. Originally
too careful of the so-called rights of men
accused Of crime, we have made our court
practice more and more loose and induI-
gent.
The accused man is presumed innocent
until he is proved guilty. That is law and
IL is justice. but It is no excuse for guard
ing his rights with more jealousy than we
10 thOse OF men never even accused, nor
of granting him privileges which We do
not accord the honest man who has never
given cause for suspicion.
Yet all the time that it has been grow
ing easier 10 commit crime through the
increasing opportunity Of activity In busi-
ness and the broadening of temptation, we
have been steadily making il more and
more difficult and costly TO convict any
body of any criminal Offense and thereby
defend and assure social order and safety.
It is a fact Of common knowledge that
our practice has so slaCkened that trials
are drawn out 10 lengths that make them
among the cOstiiest burdens that human
society has 20 bear, and that II is the
community of honest men who do not
commit crime who invariably have to pay
the cost It is almost equally well known
that this has come about largely from IN
cautiously interpreting away the long
established rules of court practice.
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06

flexible IN their operation than those TO
which we have been accustomed.
The s0cialistio doctrinaire may feel COM
petant 10 disprove this or 10 show that by
way Of compensation inestimable bless
ings VIII now from such regulations in
their ultimate application. But these re-
fieetions are intended for those who pro-
fess 10 be resigned 20 such ills as are
necessary in the existing state of society,
and who do not view the movement for
public control OF corporations as a very
venturesome excursion into the field of
State socialism. For II is not our pur-
pose to argue here that government
regulation IS not the only, or that it may
not be the best, remedy for the evils Of
private monopoly as they exist at the
present time.
We merely wish, in the light Of human
experience. and with the situation in
New York as an Illustration, to again
suggest the possibility which publicists
should Away bear in mind, that the
state" even though strictly just in its
paternaI capacity. may prove TO be a
cold If not cruelty righteous parent,
and that additional power lodged in its
hands must inevitably involve a great
sacrifice OF individual liberty for better or
for worse-in our case. let US hope. for
the better
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
For Better or for Worse.

An interesting phase Of the New York
public-utilities-biu discussion was pre-
sented recently at a conference in Albany
which included representatives Of rail-
roads, gas companies, labor Organiza-
tions. and other interests.
D. France, representing the Brother
hood Of Railroad Conductors, in objection
10 the bill as containing a provision that
would permit the Imprisonment Of en-
pIoyes in certain contingencies, said:
I'm the bill you say that il the commission should
give order. any one who fails TO obey it can be
imprisoned. Now suppose / should get an order not
20 do some work for the corporation and my super
ttendent told ! must do It. II I did it, /
would be Jailed if didn't do it. I WOuld lose my
JOB and a man at my age can't take chances on
getting another job"
Charles Campbell, another influential
representative Of organized labor, for
meriy an active supporter of William
Randolph Hearst, maintained that the
bill is not in the interest Of the working
men, and expressed his repugnance in
these words;
Il want y0a 20 consider this matter and not jump
at it like did with Hearst. This bill may be ss
big lemon as when ! took up Hearst ard that
was so sour haven't recovered from the taste"
The railroad employees, as reported in
the New York sun. are openly opposed
to the measure They see in it a menace
20 the integrity of trade unionism, their
contention being that it places in the
hands of the commissions provided for
the power TO interfere with the working
mems right TO strike. Their return TO
work, if ordered by the commissions in
case of a strike, could be enforced, so
they claim. with the alternative of pun
ishment according to law and for that
reason they join hands with capitalists in
opposition 10 the bill as "a whole.
This dilemma of the railroad men is not
only interesting. but instructive. In a
practical application much more search
ing than any mere academic inquiry, it
nlHminates an important feature Of gov
srnment regulation Of public utilities. In
other words, it impresses upon the mind
a truth 10 which, in contemplation of
social Ills. the enthusiastic reformer may
become somewhat blind.
The resort TO government control is
deemed necessary. because great COM
binations of capital have grown strong
enough to overcome the restraints of
ordinary law. Such control, accordingly,
must be applied through regulations
many times more exacting and far less
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
PRESIDENT AND SENATORS.
Objections to His Alliance with the
Leaders of Opposition Party.

Objections to His Alliance with the
Leaders of Opposition Party.
From the Charleston News and Courier.
We fail 10 appreciate that the friendly
relations OF the President with the ma
j0rity Of Democratic Senators during
both sessions of the late Congress has
meant anything but confusion and loss
to the country. 1t is a new thing In poll
tics that the chief representative Of the
party in power, who In this case stands
for the party OF public plunder. should
choose the leaders OF the opposition in
order that he might attain the ends he
aims az, whether these ends will promote
the public welfare or not. In our eager
ness 10 unhOrse the trust Senators so
called, We stand I'm jeopardy of forming
an alliance with the chief beneficiary Of
the trusts. the same being the President
himself, who has during mis- two terms IN
the White House steadily refrained from
autagonizing the protective tariff, the
mother of the trusts. and who has now
declared himself in favor OF ship sub
sidies.
II Is desirable that all Senators. whether
they be Democratic or Republican should
be on friendly terms with the Chief Ex-
ecutivc Of the country. whatever his poll
tics but Ia order that such friendly rela-
tons shall subsist II is Ia no sense neces-
sary that the President. fr<he be a Demo-
crat. should select a Republican leader
IN the Senate, and IL he be a Republican
that he should select the Democratic
leader. We have never known such a
policy to have been determined upon or
seriously considered until under the pres
ent administration.
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
BOOMERS FOR THIRD TERM.
Three Classes who Are Asking Mr..
Roosevelt 10 Run Again.
From The Chicago Tribune.

ffq8l tLe thicagJ lrltnBe.
The men VINO are 50 assiduOusIy pro-
noting the third term boom" may be
roughly divided into three classes.
They are, first. the 0ficeholders, who
feel bound By gratitude or "a lively ex-
pectation Of favors to come" to support
the present administration for an indeh-
mite number Of terms Toadyism lies in
the mouth Of ohiceholding. and II is part
Of the duty Of the small oficeholder 10
advocate the election Of his chief for as
many terms as he is willing 10 serve. The
of1ceholder in return expects 10 be re-
nominated 10 the office he holds at pres
ent or 10 be given a better one.
Next, there are the politicians who be-
lieve-mistakabiy as we thlnk-that the
reelection Of President Roosevelt wouIi
be accomplished by as large majorities
as IN his election 20 a second term. This
would sweep into tfice nearly every Re
publican candidate in the Northwest
State. city. and county. II would make
the campaign easy for the politicians. It
might even have the effect Of reducing
campaign assessments. as everybody who
should be nominated on a Republican
ticket In States like Illinois, Michigan.
and Ohio, would expect to be elected
without much effort and also without
much merit on mis- own part.
Third. there are a number Of sincere
admirers OF President Roosevelt who
think the welfare Of the country would
be promoted by his election to a third
term. We believe that these admirers arc
in the minority OF those who voted the
Republican ticket in 1874 The expression
Of feeling in favor Of the third terra Is,
first OF all. that OF the bOisterOus gentle
men who begin early 10 make themselves
heard In political campaigns, but who do
not have the decisive voice when the cleo
ton takes place That voice comes from
the great mass Of the people not COM
monty known 20 the politicians. who are
quietly pursuing their ordinary vocaUons
and are still doing a good deal of think
ng- They are in no mood to have their
hands forced by of1ceholders or syco-
phants.
The country has not yet been heard
from on the third term question. II will
be heard from if the denomination of
President Roosevelt shall be seriously
proposed, and It's expression of opinion
will be even more yociferous # through
any misadveHture the denomination
should occur. We believe, as we said
before. that the feeling among the masses
against the third term is deep and abid-
ing. although at present II may be
latent. as no sufficient prOv0catiOn has
yet arisen for its positive expression.
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
sErs. Rxan,. Quiet charItIe..

Mrs. Thomas F. Ryan, the wife Of New
York's big traction magnate, quietly and
unosteutatIously dispenses more charity
every year than does any other woman
in America. A devout Catholic Mrs.
Ryan gives much 10 the church for the
education Of poor boys and girls, the
endowment Of hospital wards, &c. bat
no publicity is ever given 10 her philan-
thrapies She is in no sense OF the term
a society woman, and so busy is she
kept at her charity work that il mas be-
come necessary for her to keep con-
stantly employed q staff Of clerks and
stenographers IN her private Office Even
when occupying her modest home in
Washington she has her stan with her.
No charitable institutions are better man
aged than those she has endowed. for
she requires of them regular reports, and
she watches them closely. She has given
away 100000 alone in helping hospitals.
schools. converts. and churches. and be-
fore each gift has been made Mrs. Ryan
has convinced herself of its necessity.
She also has a host of personal pension
ers whom she aids 10 find "a way OF earn
ing their own living, II that be possible,
and If not to live in comfort without
toll.
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
A Good Policy TO Follow.

There is a disqUieting rumor that Capt
Jay J. Morrow, the new Engineer Com
missioner of the District of Columbia, is
TO serve only a few months, and that the
recent detail, so thoroughly approved by
the community, is but a mere make-shift
We sincerely trust that this rumor is un-
founded. Capt Morrow is needed here
for full term. Important public works
are under way, with more to follow,
which call for the services of one familiar
with District affairs. Not only do we
wish to see Capt Morrow retained as
Commissioner. but we sincerely trust that
the War Department hereafter win follow
the wise policy Of promoting the Assistant
Engineer Commissioner 10 the higher post
II is a policy that must naturally sub
serve the best interests of the District in
keeping on the board an army officer
familiar with the Capital in all its inn
portant phases. Capt Morrow is such
man because of his experience un-
der Col Biddle. The policy is more i'm
portant now than ever before. because
Washington is to-day going through a
period Of Unprecedented expansion and de-
velopment 1t Is an era in our affairs de-
manding the best talent and ripest expert
ence-demanding Capt. Morrow
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
Disappearing Food Fishes.

From the Chicago Post.
The present season is the third in sue
cesion in which the number Of the Della
ware shad have decreased most alarm
ingiy. The fishermen have asked an in
vesugation of the matter, and already
some preliminary work has been done.
The experts are inclined 10 believe that
the great amount Of coal dust that now
goes into the river is responsible for the
driving out of the profitable and delicious
yearly visitors. But the problem OF bring
ing back the shad Is complicated by the
fact that no one knows where they spend
the months after making their annual
migration from the Delaware River. This
same mystery obscures the life habits OF
the Alaskan salmon.
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
Demand Untainted Gold.

From the New YORK Press.
1t has become the vogue among fash
ionable women 10 discard the use OF
paper money. In spite of its greater
weight only gold is permitted TO ind its
way into the dainty portmonnales with
which the society woman arms herself for
her trips abroad. Germs are no respec-
tiers of persons, and bills of high de-
nominations are just as likely TO suffer
from the microbe-caTrying propensltIes
Of paper as are their number 81 and s.
brethren. The uptown branches of
banks have been experiencing a persistent
run on gold recently from women. But
the caution does not cease even here.
Gold Itself may be tainted, and before
these prudent women will handle the
coins that come from the banks their
maids are called upon to put them
through a strict process Of sterilization.
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
Wns One of the BOG.

Col. Arch NJ. Hughes, who got caught
between the upper and neither millstones
in the Brownlow- Evans Republican feud
in Tennessee and was crushed out Of his
comfortable berth as postmaster OF Co
lumbia. is one Of the oldest hands in the
South In the political game. Although
he fought in the Confederate army
through the four years of the big war,
he was one OF the first Confederates in
Tennessee to join the Republican party.
He was in Office in Washington when
Andrew johnson was President, and has
held some Federal office ever since when
the Republicans We're in power. By ap-
pOintment of President Mckinley he was
made lieutenant colonel of one of the
regiments of immunes for service in the
war with Spain. He went TO the Repub-
lcan National Convention of 1850 as a
Grant man. and was one Of the immortal
306 who stuck to the end for Grant 5
nomination When he was here last week
to ascertain. II possible why he had been
summarily dismissed from the postmaster
ship of his home town TO make place for
one of his subordinates, he had some very
plain talks with the President and with
Postmaster General Meyer, though
whether he Will be reinstated or not he
did not learn. Col. Hughes IS suspected
of siding with Congressman BrownlOw
in the factional fight in Tennessee. and
BrOwnlow is suspected of dislOyalty 10
the administration.
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
Tarin reform as an Issue.

From the Savannah News.
In his recent Brooklyn speech Mr..
Bryan said: "On the great question of
tariff reform, there is not the slightest
indication that the Republican party is
going to do anything There is 40
tariff reform that means anything in the
Republican party This is undeniably
true. and We repeat what we have here
tofore said. that in tariff reform there is
an issue upon which all true Democrats
can unite and present an unbr0ken and
triumphant front 10 the party of trusts.
privilege, and imperialism in 1905
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
MONDAY. MAY c, 1907,
Thanking Judge lynch.

Judge Thomas G. Jones, of the Alabama
Federal bench, has just rendered a de
cision concerning lynching that viii, if
affirmed by the Supreme Court of the
United States, go far toward solving one
Of the most vexing problems this country
has ever had to face.
Judge Jones holds that a person who
forcibly takes from the custody of any
official. State or otherwise, a prisoner
accused of crime. and. after such taking,
lynches, helps TO lynch, or attempts to
lynch the said prisoner, is guilty OF yio-
lence 20 the provisions of the Constitu-
ti0u of the United States, and that it is
the duty of the officers Of the United
States 10 take cognizance of the same
and assume jurisdiction 10 punish the
offender Judge Jones bases his decision,
Of course. upon the thirteenth and four
teenth amendments TO the Constitution.
The attorneys for the defendant one
Powell, have appealed to the Supreme
Court Of the United States, where this
principle viii either be firmly established,
or rendered null and of no effect. 1t is
10 be hoped the finding will be affirmed
II would at once put the matter Of lynch
ing upon an entirely different footing
from that upon which it now stands
Those who have lived in sections where
lynching is common know that the bet
Ter element Of society in all such sec
tions deprecates the crime and deplores its
every appearance. AT the same time.
local environment being considered. it is
extremely difficult to secure convictions
because of the almost impossible task OF
securing evidence against the lynchers
In the hands Of the Federal courts it
would be quite a different matter.
There is no principle Of state rights"
In this case which ought TO weigh with
any right-thinking person, so far as con-
Germs the consideration of the ultimate
great good TO come OF the application OF
the principie laid down. The lyncher-
who, nine times out Of ten, is an arrant
coward at heart-wiu desist from his
crime just as soon as he finds that his
own worthless neck is endangered The
grip Of the Federal courts, with their
rights and powers 10 change the place OF
trial, especially in jurisdictions covering
sparsely settled sections. from the imme-
diate county of the crime 10 some point
perhaps a hundred miles away. would put
the lynCher face 10 face with a condition
of affairs that would give him considera-
bic pause.
The decision seems founded on good
law and sound reasoning. It will help
wonderfully if it be sustained.
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
why He Was Chosen.

Aside from the always qualifying at
tribute OF being an Indiana man. the rise
of the Hon. A. L. LaWshe 20 fame and
power IS due largely TO p curious facility
he developed in Washington, while holding
a position in the Post-ofice Department,
for the dispatch Of public business. lie
was an auditor in the Post-ohice Depart
ment here, and his superiOrs soon observed
that papers laid on his desk a shorter
time than on those of any other of their
sUbordinates whose duty required their
inspection and correction. Investigation
revealed the odd fact that the Indiana
man had a way of signing his name which
so greatly shortened that necessary oper-
alton as to result in a considerable saw
ing Of time every day. which in the end
means a saving OF money to Uncle SAM
for had ne not been able to dispose Of
his papers so rapidly ne would have need
ed assistance that would involve an in
crease Of the force in his office When the
Philippine civil government was organ
ized Mr.. Lawshe was sent over there as
auditor because Of the unique record he
had made in Washington. Now the Re
puhlcans OF the Eleventh Indiana dis
trict are talking Of nominating him for
Congress next year IN the confident belief
that he will redeem that district. which
was so Unexpectedly lost by the Hon.
Fred Lands last year.
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
MEN AND THINGS.
in Eighteen seventy-ave.


Thirty-two years ago the House Of Rep
resentatives, then overwhelmingly Demo-
cratic. put itself on record by formal
resolution as opposed to a third serm. At
the White House last week this interest
ing fact was called to the attention Of
friends of the administration. The reso-
luton referred to was introduced by the
late William 81. Springer. Of Illinois. then
one Of the leading Democrats of the coun-
try. It declared that a third term for any
President would be "unwise. unpatriotic,
and dangerous 10 our free institutions.
Every Democratic member Of the House
voted for it. and so prominent a Repubil-
can as James A. Garfield did. too. It's
chief purpose at the time was to head OF
the candidacy OF Gen. Grant, whose
Second elective" term was nearing its
close. It is said to be the opinion at the
White House that the resolution did more
than anything else to stop the third
term movement for Grant in 1876, and
even TO make it impossible when four
years later it was renewed.
Moreover. the White House has called
attention to the fact that George Wash
ington did not serve two full terms
though he regarded his first somewhat
abbreviated service in the Chief Magis-
tracy as his first term. The Father of His
Country was first inaugurated on April
30 instead OF March T. and thus his first
term was nearly two months short Of
full" President Roosevelts first term
was only a little more than FIVE months
short Of Washington's.
Several Presidents have advocated a
one-term policy. Mr.. Cleveland did this
In his letter accepting the first nominal
tion. Mr.. Bryan did the same thing. In
his first inaugural address President
Hayes recommended the one-term princi-
pie, but would extend the time from four
10 Six years
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
Our Antiquated Taria Policy.

From the New York American.
Most Of the nations Of Western Europe
have rewritten their tariff laws. They
are prepared to traffic with the world on
Il reciprocal basis. while America, through
the lack of initiative on the part of the
administration and the inattention of
Congress. has failed 70 adjust itself to the
new economic programme in world traffic
Until some international settlement is
reached, and made known to the business
interests involved, commerce VIII neces-
sarily be threatened or disturbed by tariff
wars
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
HousehoId Expenses.

From the Providence Journal.
A paragraph that Is going the rounds
Of the press provides the information that
the Sultan of Turkey does not spend more
than 5000 a year for his food, but to fill
up his attendants and pay his domestic
expenses calls for 10000 a week. The
Sultan's household, however, is by no
means the only one on the earth in which
1t costs more to keep the cook and the
cat than the head Of the house
The Washington herald., 1907-05-06

The bitter personal warfare between
the editor of the Atlanta Journal and the
publisher OF the Atlanta Georgian con-
cerning the circulation Of their news
papers is now, we rejoice to report a
closed incident; peace, happily, having
been brought about without interfering
with the circulation Of either gentleman.