The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-12-28
Scores Big RASCALs
,pnRTE SAYS LAWLESS RICH
ALL SEND UP SAME
Wall.
;,k Laws Should Not Be Enforced
Because Enforcement Would Unset
Al. Business-Warns People Against
Letting Wolves Choose Watchdog.

chicago, Dec. 23.-Attorney General
c,orIas ]. Bonaparte, who passed the
Adv in Chicago as the guest OF the
r,irois Athletic Club, was the prin-
TOOL sneaker at banquet of that
.uorization given in honor Of it's Of
a,ors others who responded to
.oc+s we're Congressman Frank o.
Ton,don and James Hamilton Lewis, of
chicago. congressman from Wash
;naton Mr.. Bonaparte, after convey
mo the presidents regrets at not be-
NO able to attend, said that he spoke
tor No one but himself.
The subject of his address was COB
.tocIes to the Execution of the Laws"
and he quoted from that part OF the
Constitution wherein it says:
"He shall take care that the laws be
faithfully executed.
This part, he said, was by far the
most important and most clearly vital
70 the peoples happiness and the safe
~ of all the people, but when the
nrocident seeks to fulfill it, a STUN
Ming block is placed in his path. If
tho faithful execution of the laws is
made difficult or uncertain, in what
ever manner or from whatever cause,
tbp American people should be plainly
toId that the American people may
find and apply remedy"
Walls From Big Lawbreakers.
Continuing, Mr.. Bonaparte said that
# ba dbeen his experience as Attorney
General that some people think or talk
or write as if the law especially ex-
empted them.
In the Eastern states" he added,
"anv enforcement of Federal statutes
forbidding conspiracy in restraint Of
trade or favoritism by common car
rers is greeted by a chorus of walls,
as upsettling business and breeding or
keeping alive panics. In certain west
ern and southwestern states the prose
cution of men who have acquired vast
tracts of public land through fraud
and perjury, in plain violation OF the
law and with enormous profits to
themselves is fiercely denounced as
persecution of public-spirited citi-
zens' Finally in some southern states
attempts to bring to punishment, un-
der the laws of the United States for
bidding peonage, those who virtually
enslave helpless negroes, and no less
helpless foreign white, provoke a like
cutlery.
Think Rich Should Be Exempt.
In all these cases alike, the idea I'M
DERIVING the complaints, an idea often
more or less concealed by sophistry
and falsehood, is that laws, or some
laws, are not really intended to be
really obeyed by some people. These
critics might perhaps consent that
some show of enforcing such laws
should be made. If after a tedious
and expensive inquiry it has been
shown clearly that wrong has been
committed, the culprit may be called
to answer for it.; but when he shows,
by way of answer, that he is a captain
OF industry, or generalissimo OF
finance, or at least a leading citizen
in other words, that he is rich or
otherwise infuential-they would have
MIN go unpublished, or, at worst, es-
cape with sham penalty about as
IOrml09b1p h,,yv inc q
iron.
No! In our country neither the
president nor any one else can exc
cute the laws faithfully, or execute
them at all, unless the American peo-
pie want them executed"
oont Let Wolves Choose Watchdog.
After relating Aesop's fable of the
wolves persuading the sheep to send
away their watchdogs, Mr.. Bonaparte
said:
Just now the denizens of that great
Sleepfold, the American Union, are be-
SHINING to turn their thoughts to the
grave problem of choosing a head
watchdog to guard them for four long
Ears L cannot help thinking IL may
alu them in this weighty task to es-
saoish first of all a negative test OF
a'ness; whatever applicant for the JOB
y viewed with political favor by the
wolves may well be left In his home
Aennel; wolves can be trusted to know
wat they want-what the sheep don't
Want.
IN palmer language, no man can pc
l safely trusted to, take care that tne
laws be faithfully executed II MS
ouolce be longed for and urged by al
VI many of those who have obstructeo
me faithful execution Of the same
.a"s In the past and whose influences
uu resources are formidable obstacles
~ thelr faithful execution today.