The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-14

THE ELECTION COURT.
 The attitude oC the state press ;o- wards the approaching election court, which has been granted upon an ap- peal by Mir. Fox of this city, is on the whole extremely crcditabd There is an understandable difference of opjn- ion among them as to what will hap pen f the Fox cnargos are proven. This grows out of tho more or less general lack ot knowledge which ox- ists with regard to the law, and ac- counts at the same time for the satis- faction taken by many thoughtful people that the law is to be submitted to q court and there ironed out by iu- dicial Interpretation Tae paramount significance of the proceedings which have been brought lies in the enlight- enment which will follow, and which will enable the general assembly to estimate al its true value the law as it stands, and to know just what can be done to restrain corrupt practices in Connecticut if anything practical can be done
 Eliminating the annoyance and pos sble discontinue of those who may be brought before tho court for ex. animation. these proceedings should at this time be treated as other court proceedings are treated by the press of the state. AIr FoX's personality has nothing to 1o with the matter one way or another What people think privately of his genius for lnvestiga- tion, and his restless determination to take upon his shoulders burden which most people would quickly run from present no right, moral or legal to prejudge the case itself. If old fashioned philosophy was 10 be ap-  piled to the situation it would be commonly agreed that tho case can safely be left to carry itself along. that innocent men have nothing to fear from the operations Of tie court. It may be that MT. Fox Is giving his state the finest kind of altrustic ser vice; it may Dc that he has blundorr and lct little human apscs take on the form and weight of great crimes. What the truth Is in this connection can only be determined after suca an investigation as Is now to be carried on. tntil that investigation has been completed a newspaper has no more right to discuss the subject a1rma tyoA or negatively than it would have to discuss any other court trial
 The rumor to the effect that tho lawyers for the defense will under take first to find out whether the law is constitutional or not, and then if it is ask for an Interpretation of this that and the other section, is interest ing in the extreme. The friends of corrupt practices legislation are not SC much interested in the exposure of individuals as they are in ascertainine definitely how far thc state can go and in what manner, to protect the purity of the ballot, tO limit the amount of money candidates and thcir friends may spend in forwarding their political ambition, and to make i'm, possible practices on election day which arc corrupt in intent and dc- morali2ing in effect. We can have rC doubt that if the lawyers for the dc. fonse undertake this task, and arr sincere in their desire to have tht law made clear. they will be assisted by lawyers for the petitioner. It if the contention of some lawyers that the entire law is unconstitutional. Ii that is SO the fact cannot be learned too quickly Even the conviction o possibly guilty people Is not so i'm portant as the constitutional safe, guards of government There is { profound determination on the par of the great majority of the citizens q Connecticut that corruption shal cease, and anything, including th' laws delay, which will contribute tt their ability to fight corruption effec tivey will be welcomed by them
 In other words, every newspaper ir the state should he careful not to con fuse the real dignity of tnose proceed inge. Mr.. Fox disavows any persona nnimus In having brought the petition and it is well known that he pride! himself upon his political indopend encn He does not have the sympathy of many people in his proceeding