The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-04
FROE OTHER PENS
cANADA.s NAVAL SCANDAL.

Political acrimony is not confined to
the United States. nor does 1t perhaps
find its most intense expression here.
The Toronto Mail and Empire has
found opportunity for attacking the
government with unusual vigor and Is
making the most OF 1t. The house of
commons at Ottawa was in continuous
session last week from Thursday at
ternoon until Saturday. the reason
therefor being the refusal Of the OPP
position to allow a single dollar Of the
marine and fisheries estimates to go
through because papers promised by
the government and necessary to a
proper discussion Of the question were
not Forthcoming. Against this depart
ment the aforesaid organ makes the
serious charge that when It wants any
articles for the public service 1t enters
them in the public account, at from
fifty to a hundred per cent more than
the actual cost. Last year, 1t is said.
the minister Of marine and fisheries,
alarmed by the criticism Of his depart
mept. had an investigation instituted,
which cost $47, 900 and disclosed, 1t is
claimed. such serious mal-administra-
ton that the government does not dare
make public its findings, and that was
the cause of the hitch in parliamentary
proceedings. When a government has
to resort to force" says the Mail and
Empire. ito prevent the examination
and discussion Of its financial opera
lions, the people whose money it is
using can form their own conclusions
as to what il wrong.'-Boston Trans
crfpt.
The butter famine which has kept
prices high in the United States dur
ing the winter months prevails in Eu-
rope also. There has been a marked
shortage in the supply of receipts
from the colonies. and the reappear-
ance in the markets OF American
dairy butter are having a restraining
Of the British butter market is re-
vealed by the fact that Cheshire but
ter advanced three pence and four
pence q pound at one leap because OF
q temporary reduction IN supplies
from abroad, and the demand for the
product at the suddenly increased
price is greater than the supply.
A Liverpool dispatch states that the
high price OF butter is having a fa-
vorabIe effect upon the Cheshire
cheese trade, which always exper-
fences an accelerated demand when
the price Of butter rises to extraordi-
nary figures. In the United States
there Is always an increase in the de-
mand for oleonnargarine. and more
freedom in its sale. But, unfortunate
". many dealers refuse to handle the
product because of the odium which
has been cast upon the trade by
prosecutions for fraud in the sale OF
the butter Observation-Disclosures
Wisconsin.
THE COURT AND THE MOB.
The demagogue cramor for jury
trial in contempt cases IS nothing but
the application Of the referendum to
the administration of Justice. and If
we are to have appeal from tho legis-
lation of congress to the mob, why
why should we not have appeal to the
mob from the judgments OF the court :?
The writ Of injunction II centuries
old. and does for property what the
writ OF habeas corpus does for lfb-
erty. A writ OF injunction has no
more terror for the law-abidfng citi-
zen than the statute against larceny.
One commands the citizen to leave
unfnjured his neighbours property;
the other commands him not to steal
1t. No honest man need fear the lat
ter, and no peaceable man can be dis
turbed by the former.
The assumption OF those who would
refer contempt cases to q jury IL that
the Judge is corrupt or ignorant, or
both, that the jury is more honest
than the bench and more learned In
the law. The proposal is an insult to
the plain people It IS an Invitation
to violence. 1t is a pruning OF judicial
authority. 1t is a. contempt OF our
courts OF justice, and stigma upon
them. It Is an assumption that the
votes OF the people can be had for
the license to violate the law and de-
stroy the rights OF property.-Wasa1-