Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1907-03-14
review v|EEVV OF THE WORK OF CONGRESS-
Important Measures Passed During the Short Session
immigration Law The Right Of Appeal in
Criminal Cases.

more than a year, namely the ratifica
uon OF the Santo Domingo treaty. By
1 this action the government of the
| United States is not committed to any
more certain duty in looking after the
interests of the Latin-American repub-
lies OF this hemisphere than is incur
req IN the avowed national policy of
upholding the Monroe doctrine.
But what is gained, as is believed,
by the ratification Of this treaty is
tranquility in Santo Domingo and the
aid and encouragement by this govern
ment to Santo Domingo in pulling her
self out of the mire of debt in which
she is involved without any accompa-
nylng annoyance from foreign powers.
With respect to general legislation,
probably the most important action of
the congress just closing was the pas
sage of the immigration bill and the
measure comforting upon the federal
! government the right to appeal in
criminal cases.
| The immigration law just enacted
opens the way for improvement in the
| character of the immigrants that come
| to these shores. Taken in connection
| with the policy outlined in the provi-
sion relative to the incoming of Orien-
tai laborers and the provision for a
thorough investigation of conditions
surrounding emigrants and the sources
| OF immigration in foreign countries
i the bill enacted at this session is of
tremendous Importance to the whole
country, industrially and commercial
| ly.
1t is troublesome problem, this at
| tempting to depart from the ancient
rule of asylum for the people OF all
| lands. Time has shown, however, that
! the United States has, in addition to
| furnishing homes for the best classes
of people, who have come to be Amer
| lean citizens of the highest standard
and who have contributed to the up
| building of the nation in all directions
| where we'll directed labor and wealth
! production under wise laws have add
| ed to the comfort and happiness of this
country-in addition to these desirable
| features the gates which have always
opened inward have let in far too
many undesirable people, diseased,
MANNED, degenerates and criminals,
who have gone to swell the almshouses
and the jails, thus becoming charges
upon the well-to-do in this land as
well as detracting from the social or
der and well being of our people.
A measure which affords relief from
some Of these great evils, as the i'm
migration law just enacted promises to
do, cannot but be of great value to the
American people.
The criminal laws of the United
States are statutes passed by congress.
There is no common law relating to
crimes SO far as the nation is concern
ed. Issues of law in the trial of per
sons charged with violation Of the
| criminal statutes of the United States
have always been taken advantage of
by defendants, but no provision exist
ed for the government taking such is
sues of law to the higher courts where
the decisions of the judges of the low
er courts were favorable to the defend
ants.
The law is changed by the action OF
| the congress at its present session.
! The government will now have the
right to prosecute appeals or writs of
error on questions of law decided by
| the inferior courts to the highest tri-
bunal in the land. The defendant in a
criminal court has always the protec-
ton of his constitutional rights, which
may be urged in his favor to the high
est court.
1t has been found upon many occa-
sions that decisions OF the lower fed
eral courts, touching questions of law,
when in favor of the defendant on trial
for infraction ofga criminal law of the
United States, even before the defend
ant has lost the protection of the jeop-
nrdy right In the constitution Of the
country, has appeared to be so erro-
neous that the defendant would go un-
whipped Of justice. 1t is now provid-
ed that such issues of law so raised
may be prosecuted by writ of error
sued out by the government to test in
the higher courts the soundness of the
! legal opinion rendered by the Judge in
the lower court.
So many new and complicated stat
utes of criminal nature have been
enacted by congress during the past
few years in the effort of the people to
secure redress of grievances by the
abolition of railway rebating and kim
dred wrongdoing by great corporations
that it has come to be recognized that
the government must, in the interests
Of justice be clothed with the power to
test legal questions In criminal cases
I by some authority other than the
judges in courts Of first instance. This
legislation is supplemental to the acts
of this and previous congresses intend
ed to restrain the powers of those
whose evildoing is, in the main, an
abuse of the use of wealth.
Among the other measures passed by
congress at this session is the curren-
cy bill, making important changes in