The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-01-09
Justice FlOuted
in Our Courts
Says Pardee
Cites Tricks Of Law
yers in Graft and
Collins Cases

SACRAMENTO, Jan. Tn his fare
well message Governor Pardee ex-
pressed himself in favor of amending
the law so as to prevent a repetition
of the fight for immunity being made
on technical grounds in the San Fran
cisco courts by counsel for the accused
grafters. Pardee did not mince mat
tiers in his denunciation of officials who
betray their trust
The message in part said:
Two years ago California was hu-
inflated by the trial and conviction of
two of her State Senator'S for bribery.
third member of the Senate fed and
is now a fugitive from justice. The
Senate is to be congratulated upon it's
prompt action in expelling, after an
vietion by juries, the Senators who, by
their dishonest acts, brought shame
and disgrace upon California and cast
stigma upon our boasted republican
form of government.
SAN FRANCIsCo's DISGRACE
The recent developments in the city
of San Francisco, which seem to in
dicate a state of affairs at least as
York City under the regime of Tweed.
ought to shame every person who
claims to be a Californian. That Off
cial corruption could go to the extreme
which seems to have existed in the
metropolis should concern every per-
son who loves this country and de-
sires to see its free institutions per-
petuated. For, if unchecked, this official
corruption will so poison the whole
body polite as to cause the sure death
of public spirit and private patriotism.
imposed in him commits a crime
against his fellow citizens that is
blacker, more despicable and more
to be detested than even cold FLOODED
murder. The latter is a crime against
an individual, or, at most, against
very few. But the former is crime
against many and disturbs the very
The bribe-taker is, however, no great
er criminal than the bribe- giver. Both
should be scorned of all men; both
against the State. He who betrays the
people in times of peace is no less
traitor to his country than he who be-
trays 1T in time of war. There are,
to our shame, be it said, Benedict Ar
nolds still among us.
I commend to the careful. patriotic
attention of the Legislature this. sub,
ject and hope that some method will
be devised whereby detection and
swift conviction may be made more
said, appears now to be the case.
JUSTICE Is DEFIED
Another thing that is engrossing the
attention of all thinking men in this
State is the way in which, by Juggling
with the technicalities of the law, JUS
tice is defied and our courts and laws
made laughing stocks by cunning law
yers California ought to blush when
1t remembers how our criminal pro-
d. Collins to juggle with justice, defy
the courts. roll up needless expenses
for the public purse to bear and, worse,
far worse than this. implant still deep
er in the public mind the suspicion
that our laws and courts are made and
conducted not for the purpose of do
ing but Of hampering Justice. And no
time ago, another attorney, in suing
for fee, publicly set forth how, by
means of dilatory motions and an end
the law, he had so delayed the bring
ing of his client into court that the
matter had become outlawed.
The San Francisco officials who have
been indicted for crimes against the
public good are either innocent or
guilty; and in the interests of public
be quickly established, and justice
either in vindieation or severe punish
ment, should be swiftly and surely
meted out to the accused. Yet we see
the courts blocked and day after day,
week after week, spent in the inter
position of dilatory motion upon dila
tory motion, followed by time-consum-
ing argument after argument, until it
would seem almost as if there was
some truth in the public suspicion that
the courts are sleeves whose meshes
are large enough to let through those
with sufficient money and influence.
LAWS SHOULD BE AMENDED
It is serious matter one that ap-
peals to us all. that justice may be
thus laughed at, the courts Knocked,
and the protection of our laws against
criminals and criminal acts thus de-
fed No one of US is safe, either in
life, liberty or property, if those ac-
until witnesses forget, are brfbed or
disappear, or until. by the very be-
devilment of the record, some error is
made upon which tthe technical courts
~ col mo HI f1cr ~ al Of
viction.
1 commend this whole subject mat
ter also TO the careful and patriotic
attention of the Legislature, hoping
that such changes in our criminal pro-
cedure will be made at this session as
will prevent the spectacles that have,