The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-09
FRON OTHER PENS
sANCTITY OF THE OATH


1t is lamentably true that perjury
is coming to be regarded as a venal
offense by many and that an oath
taken in legal proceeding has lost
it's original sanctity. This does not
mean that the fear of punishment by
the courts for detected false swearing
has been eliminated, but with a vast
number of people the successful
evasion of detection and punishment
leaves no residum of remorse or
fear of other and future retribution.
When this matter is given even q
little reflection it is not difficult to
realize what the elimination of the
real sanctity of an oath means in the
complicated administration of JUS
tice. The records of the courts con-
firm common knowledge that perjury
is difficult to prove, and that in
stances of punishment by earthly
courts are comparatively rare. There
was a time-and it is not remote
when the dread of the liability of fine
and imprisonment for false swear
ing was not the sole incentive to con-
formity with the terms and spirit of
the oath. 1t was the old-time belief
that there was sovereign. power,
above all human courts, which ac-
tua1lv took cognizance of an appeal
to that power to witness the truthful
ness of the aff1ant.-Rochester Demo-
crat and Chronicle.
( TX rs. TAFT AND toN
The long fight to give the country
better consular service by sub
shutting merit for the spells idea in
the making of appointments reached
good measure of success under
President Roosevelt's administration.
Congress was willing to do very little
| in the way of legislation toward this
end, but it passed "half loaf" bill,
| and then President Roosevelt and
Secretary Root did the rest.
| 1t is already evident that during
| President Taft's term. with Secretary
Knox at the head of the state. de-
partnent. there is to be no let-down
| in tho efforts to improve the service.
| A long list of appointments to con
sular positions was made public the
! other day, and it appeared that all
of the more important places had
| been filled by the promotion OF men
| with experience in consular work
The new men appointed to minor
places were likewise chosen on
| merit basis, and they in turn will be
in line for later promotion on thei1
records.
| Satisfactory as it is to have the
| consular service handled in this way
it is nevertheless still desirable thai
congress establish the merit system
legally, so as to put it beyond tht
power of any future president u
abandon it.-Chicago Record-Her
aid.
CAN'T CONVICT A WOMAN.
Mr.. Fowler former collector OF tn
lport of New York, speaking of compro
lrnising with crime, says it is absolutel.
necessary in cases of smuggling wher
women are accused, since 1t is impossi
IbIe to convict a woman when the Uni
tied States is the complainant
A jury will swear to decide accordinl
Ito the law and the evidence. but Whel
liz comes to a woman smuggling in sill
dresses, furs and gloves, the law an
Ievidence are scattered to the VIII
winds. There are two consideration
irelating to this matter: first, there
La mean little conscience. prevalen
Iamong people, that It Is not very WICK
led to smuggle goods into this country
1--we have even re ard men boast OF thei
success in thus trampling upon tn
law. They speak of it as a joke an
! describe their sneakery as II 1t possess
ed a flavor of virtue.
| And when women smuggle, 1t is re
garded as the surest of human right:
LIT is one of her prerogatives. That
, the doctrine of the jury; and so. a
IMr. Fowler says, the best way to do
Ito compromise, for then the govern
lment gets its money, and the woma
tgets her punishment, but saves he
lreputation.-Ohio State journal