The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-14


n this country since the civil ware
What would be thought Of able ply
sicians who would protrnct a quarrel
syer the question whether their pa
itient would better be fed on milk or
.ream. until the patient died OF star.
atom Shall we protract an AGA.
deriic discussion of the vague terms
IT rehabilitation and t.decentraiiza.
tom While the body polite is suffer
Ing for the want Of the application dfI
a icommon.sence remedy? These are
that confront US, and not
nero theories. Practical men and
7tatesman must look the facts square.
y in the face. and not finch. And
What are the conditions in. this State?
some counties certain interests
ontroi the balance OF power and par.
politics. and dictate who shall be
prosecuting attorney, aud that Off
Ger owes his election to such an in.
terest, and he dare not offend 1t. He
l;nows Tor believes) he will fail Of re.
nomination or reelection il he OF.
tends It. In some counties, perhaps
1t may be said in many, there is Gus
,om to confer the Office OF prosecute
'ng attorney on some beginner In the
practice of the law. In the trial of
important cases he Is confronted by
he most skillful attorneys that mon.
~ can secure to aid the escape of
nose charged with crime, and thus
he State is put at a serious lisad-
Yan.Dge. In other counties the pros
acuting attorney is also the attorney
II interests which have an interest,",
or And 1t convenient, to disregard GER
ain laws. What can be expected in
such cases? There are prosecuting
attorneys who are capable. honest
ind have due regard for the obi.
cations Of their Office. but ] know
from conversations with them, ami
from other sources, that they are
greatly handicapped. They have no
mems of investigating the commits
sion OF crime: they cannot them.
selves act as ,ietectives-they have
neither the time nor the training;
and they have no means to employ
trained men to detect criminals or
20 secure witnesse, or otherwise to
Iecure aid. The National government
prosecutors have every help. In view
Of these facts, In view of the central.
cation of the powers, of evil, shall
we ignore the eonditions-the change
n the conditions? Have the people
Of the United States suffered in their
liberties because they do not eject the
Secretary Of State, or the Secretary
Of the Treasury, or any other ,cabi-
net officer of the federal government.
Or because they do not elect the dis.
;rict attorneys, or the marshalls? Ger.
tainly not: and how could they SUI.
fer when the power and authority to
lppoint,these men come from the PEG.
Pile through the President whom they
slect. So long as the authority is in
the people, the liberties Of the peo-
pie are safe, for they may recall that
authority, or change the distribution
II 1t whenever they like.
Says an eminent author:
"we hear much about Capitalization
In these days. and when a few, often
cry of alarm like this, the mass Of men
Join in 1t thoughtlessly. Just as all the
sheep OF a flock jump over an imagin.
airy obstruction because the bell-weth.
err has been foolish enough to set the
example"
Finally, to oppose reasonable and
necessary concentration OF power in
The government to enforce law, in the
face OF enormous concentrations oil
wealth and power to wrest from the
people special privileges, shows a re.
markable want of appreciation of a
dangerous condition, or woeful want
OF patriotic interest In the welfare OF
the State.
cast.fron Laws
There is popularity about uar
laws which suppose came down to
us from the mother State. which
think 1t would be wise for us TO get
rid Of 1t seems to have been thought
necessary heretofore, or at least has
been the practice. in enacting a law
prescribing the powers and duties oi
his office. This is not wise plan.
think the custom followed in otbei
States, and especially by the federal
government, is better. That custom is
to state In the law the principles OF
wide policies to be observed in the
execution Of the law, and leave to the
officer charged with its execution al
the latitude practicable. Often suci
officer is authorized to make all the
necessary r11es and regulations moi
inconsistent with the law. for carrying
1t into effect. 1t would be a great gair
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