The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-04-25
THE IDAHO SCIMITAR.

whom the officials had reason to suspect of connec-
ton with the fraudulent occupation of land.
1t does not now depart from its attitude of consis-
tency in assailing grand jury that has found in
dictmens against its friends. 1t has as nsistenty
attacked two previous grand uries that were en-
quring into the same derelictions. The reasonable
conclusion is that it is possessed of inherent antag-
onsm to any grand jury that becomes curious over
the alleged land frauds of its associates of the lumber
supplying trade.
It considered entirely legitimate the attack made
the federal prosecuting attorney, who was
charged through the Borah legal establishment with
too faithfully attending to the business of the gov
eminent in advancing the prosecution of Barber,
Martini ct al and censured by judge brought
from another state.
1t did not cheerfu1y coincide with the action of
another grand jury that investigated the federal
prosecuting attorney, under the charges preferred
and the applied and exonerated him and in
dicted the parties that made oath to the charges
These several grand juries regularly
sembed under the auspices of federal officials of the
Republican political faith and an analyses of the
characters of their members would prove them to
be above reproach although they had not fallen be-
low the performance of duties that brought trouble
upon the friends of the newspaper.
The juries referred to summoned under the
auspices of United States Marshal Rounds and Clerk
of the Court Richardson, officials who will not be
charged with any irregularty of procedure, even
by the newspaper and its unfortunate friends
1t is understood that the jurors who have investi
gated these cases of alleged fraudulent land entries
were not assisted in their enquiries by the parties
under suspicion in such a way as to invoke public
confidence in those parties. The books of the Bar
Der company would have been of great assistance in
determination of the cases. but they not forth
coming.
With these handicaps, the jurymen have done fair
work in untangling the mystery of public land ap-
preparation entrusted to their by the authorities
of the United States and they entitled to praise
rather than censure for their fidelity to the expeca
tons of justice.
There is room for the belief that the newspapers
that went Immediately to the defense of the indicted
parties through violent assaults a grand jury
are endeavoring build sentiment that will be
full to their friends when the time of trial arrives
If so, they are hardly within the legitimate sphere
of their vocation and cannot be too strongly
applied to them.
This affair of the so-ca1ed land grabbers has at
least one interesting phase. The general Govern
ment through its departments, is endeavoring to
force the very just provisions of law that provide
for the equal distribution of the public domain at
tempting, through the proper officials to administer
punishment for violations of law. A faction within
the party that represents the administration Of the
Government is doing its utmost to embarass the
Government and prevent its servants from accom-
pshng that which the Government expects them
to accomplish The faction that has arrayed itself in
opposition to the processes of justice that have been
invoked has within its intention the removal of those
officers of justice engaged in the prosecution of the
IT,
mands of superior officers.