Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-02-07

which,,results in immunity to wealthy and
powerful wrongdoers or which renders
nugatory a temperate effort to better the
conditions of life and work among those
of our fellow countrymen whose need is
greatest
Most certainly it behooves us all to
treat with the utmost respect the high
Office of judge ; and our judges,as a whole,
are brave and upright men. Respect for
the law must go hand in hand with re-
spect for the judges, and, as whole, it
is true now as in the past that the judges
stand in character and service above all
other men among their fellowservants of
the public.
There is all the greater need that the
few who fail in this great office, who
tegrity, of wisdom, of sympathetic un.
Outstanding, and of courage, should
have their eyes opened to the needs of
their countrymen. A judge who on the
bench either truckles to the mob and
shrinks from sternly REFRESHING violence
and disorder, or bows down before
corporation; who fails to stand up val
iantly for the rights of property on the
one hand or on the other by misuse of
the process of injunction or by his atti-
tude toward all measures for the better
ment of the conditions of labor makes
the wageworker feel with bitterness
that the courts are hostile to him; or
who fails to realize that all public serv-
ants in their several stations must strive
to stop the abuses of the criminal rich
such man performs an even worse
service to the body polite than the legis-
lator or executive who goes wrong.
The judge who does his full duty well
stands higher, and renders better
service to the people, than any other
public servant, he is entitled to greater
respect; and if he is a true servant o.
fearless, he will unhesitatingly dis.
regard even the wishes of the people if
they conflict with the eternal principles
of right as against wrong. He must
serve the people; but he must serve his
own conscience first. All honor to such
Judge, and all honor can not be rem
dered him if it is rendered equally to
his brethren who fall UNNECESSARILY be-
low the high ideals for which he stands.
Untruthful criticism is wicked at all
times, and whoever may be the object;
but it is a peculiarly fragrant iniquity
when judge is the object.
No man should lightly criticise judge;
no man should even in his own mind,
condemn judge unless he is sure of the
facts. If a judge is assailed for stand
ing against popular folly, and, above all,
for standing against mob violence, all
honorable men should rally instantly to
his support. Nevertheless, if he clearly
fails to do his duty by the public in deal
ing with lawbreaking corporations, law
breaking men of wealth, he must expect
to feel the weight of public opinion; and
| 4 10 10 hn OIL m
cases this is the only way in which he
can be reached at all. No servant of the
people has right to expect to be free
from Just and honest criticism.
MUCH HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
We are trying to secure equality of
opportunity for all; and the struggle for
honesty is the same whether it is made
on behalf of one set of men or of another
In the interest of the small settlers and
landowners, and against the embittered
opposition of wealthy owners of huge
wandering fiocks of sheep, or of corpo-
rations desiring to rob the people of coal
and timber, we strive to put an end to
the theft of public land in the West
When we do this, and protest against the
action of all men, whether in public life
or in private life, who either take part
in or refuse to try to stop such theft, we
are really engaged in the same policy as
when we endeavor to put "A stop to re-
bates or to prevent the upgrowth of UNI
controlled monOpolies Our effort is
simply to enforce the principles of com
mon honesty and common sense. 1t
would indeed be i'll for the country
should there be any halt in our work.
The laws must in the future be admin
istered as they are now being admins
tered, 30 that the Department of Justice
may continue to be. what it now is, in
very fact the Department of Justice,
where 80 far as our ability permits jus
tice is meted out with an even hand to
great and small, rich and poor, weak and
strong. Moreover, there should be no de-
lay IN supplementing the laws now on
the statute books by the enactment Of
| further legislation as outlined in the
message sent to the Congress on its as
sembling.
Under the existing laws much. very
much, has been actually accomplished
during the past six years, and it has been