Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-16

Pender Republic; John II. Mickey will 60 |
down In history as the best friend the |
thieves. robbers cutthroats, murderers and 4
rape hends of this state ever had.
Falls city Journals The indiscriminate /
pardoning by Governor Mickey has aroused
a sentiment In favor OF pardoning board ,
such as other states have 1t was the in
judicious use Of this power which caused
Governor Mickey so much trouble.
Springfield Monitor: Former Governor
Mickeys pardon record will no doubt in I
iuepce the legislature in passing a measure
creating a pardonlng board. The governor
then would be deprived OF his authority to
parole or pardon prisoners and the whole /
sale work in this line. such as the late |
governor INDUCED in. would be stopped.
Humphrey Democrat: The manner in
which Governor Mickey took advantage Of
his pardcning power during the past year
lmpresses us with the need OF a governing
board in the state. Governor Mickey has
shown that there Is little use OF law in this
state, and his wholesale of his pardon
ing power places the state in uneuviable
position.
O'Neill Frontier: Governor Mickey was
evidently looking for a storm OF condemna-
ton after rounding out an administration
convicts by pardoning one convicted of the
chief of crimes just before stepping down
and out. lie would rather have the storm
break on Mickey the citizen than Mickey
the governor
Arcadia Champion: II there are such
things as leaving by example, even If 1t is
| poor excuse, then let the legislature
profit by the pardon and commutation rec
ord made by his late majesty, Ex-Governor
Mickey, and submit an amendment to the
constitution taking the pardoning power
away from the governor. We do not need
II now, but since history has been repeating
itself faithfully for the last 500 years, II
is only reasonable to presume that in the
course of time we will be compelled to put
up with a Savage or Mickey in the COVER
nor's chair again.
! Central City Republican: The necessity
of a board of pardons is becoming more
apparent. No one person ought to be
called upon to bear the odium OF an unpop-
ular exercise of the pardon power In a
case where the public is much wrought UP
and there is a strong difference of opinion
as to the guilt or innocence of a party, II
is working a hardship on the governor to
compel him TO decide although IL he does
| his duty, after all the forms have been
| complied with he must decide upon his
| honest convictions. no matter whether II is
| popular or unpopular.
Rising City Independent: The people of
Nebraska should petition the members of
the legislature to insist that a law be
passed creating pardoning board and thus
take the pardoning power out of the hands
of the governor. Nebraska cannot be
placed in the position to invite lynch law
by means of some weak-minded individual
occupying the executive office who may
imagine that he is greater and wiser than
the supreme court of the state. The way
the pardoning power has been abused for a
number of years is sufficient proof that
something must be done in order that the
law be upheld and criminals get thier Just
deserts and not be turned loose upon a suf-
fering community.
David City Press: The total number Of
convicts to whom the doors of the peni-
Tertiary were opened by executive order
during Mr.. Mickey's term of office was but
little less than the total number who were
confined In the pententiary when the gov
enor went into office. Thus have two OF the
governors elected from Polk county dis
tingnished themselves for acts of cleniency
toward the criminal classes. Albinus Nance
was elected governor from Polk county in
1880, and the scandal created by his pardon
ing Of the Oliver brothers, who were con-
fined for murder, was as notorious as has
been the actions of Mickey. And 1t was no
unusual things in those days to hear the
suggestion made that Nance was well paid
for his pardoning of the criminals.
York Times: Governor Mickey's clemency
has engendered good deal of scolding and
some pretty coarse talk. Down deep how
ever, no one thinks he has done anything
he did not think right and most men have
a good deal of confidence in his Judgment
No two Of us think exactly alike. We
would have exercised clemency In some
cases where the governor was obdurate on
the whole It is best to err on the side OF
mercy. There is. too much trouble In the
world and we make the most of 1t for our
selves and for each other II every one
were interested in making the path as
, smooth as possible for every one else the
world would be altogether a different place
to live in. Both kindness and cruelty are
subject to cultivation. We can develop
either side of our disposition and transmit
, it to posterity. SO the world will grow
J better or worse as we make It.
Rushville Recorder: The Recorder is in
hearty accord with an amendment TO the
constitution looking to the transferring OF
the pardoning power from the governor to
, a board of pardons. The way executive
! clemency has been granted by some of our
governors looks like putting a premium on
crime. Again It becomes positively exas-
perating the way we provide for an ex-
pensive judicial system for the, administra-
ton of our laws, with every safeguard OF
appeal to the higher courts, only to have
them set aside by the individual caprice OF
man who is often not qualified to Judge
Of the merits OF the case. We are not sur
prised that lynch law is sometimes re-
? sorted to by those who want to see justice
done. We do not believe the act OF any
! man ought to be above the law. or to
, have the power to set It aside. Mercy may
, be all right but It is not justice.
Holdrege Progress; In view of his un-
! preeeGented exercise OF clemency with ref
erence to criminals confined in the state
. penitentlary curing his four years as gov
ernor Of the state Of Nebraska Elk Governor
Mickey should be referred TO by the hlstor-
l. ian as Mickey the Pardoner," The records
show that Governor Mickey pardoned more
persons out of the penitentary than any
of his predecessors. The records also show
. that many of those whom he hardened