Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-10-30
COOK COUNTY IS
PERIL TO STATE
Yet Illinois Has Not Yet Quite
Gone to Bad, Says States
Attorney Wayman.
GIVES ADDRESS IN MOLINE
Prosecutor Sees No Difference Be-
tween a Public and Private
Thief.
Vayman. states attorn ~

John w. Wayman, states attorney
of Cook county, spoke to an audience
of 800 professional men and manufac-
turers at the Congregational church,
Moline, last night. Illinois has not
yet quite gone to the bad" he said.
Chicago does not belong to Illinois.
or Illinois to Chicago. The enforce
ment of the law in Chicago means an
example to every city in the state. A
corrupt government in Cook county
means peril to every city in the state.
There are crimes of murder, high
way robbery and the like, but / think
the two greatest crimes committed On
American soil are those of escaping
jury duty and of lodging taxes.
Men if called to serve on juries will
lie in order to escape doing their duty.
1 favor the designing of a button on
the loyal design. These buttons should
be given by the legislature and should
be won only by those who have
served their state as jurymen. Jury
servers in this day deserve marks Of
distinction.
Murder can be committed and the
republic will live. But there can be
no footing with the jury box and the
government life 1 propose TO do all
can in Cook county to see that the
man who lays his hand on the jury
box gets just punishment. For a week
now we have worked in Chicago and
have 10 jury in a case ready for trial.
Yet $500 has been spent.
VIII Back His Opinion
Some persons can start a thing and
see their way clear. 1 have started
several things and do not see my way
clear. But let me say that wherever
my way leads that is where / am
going.
ct has been proved that the cor
porate conscience is inferior to the in
dividuai conscience. do not see any
difference, however, between a public
and a private thief
"Juries should have the common Law
powers restored to them. l favor the
restoration of this common law in ILL
nois."
The speaker assailed the Illinois in
determinate sentence law and pointed
out the faults which he finds in this
act and said he is in the fray to see
that 1t is repealed by the next legisla-
ture.
Pointing out that the president. con-
gress, justices, judges and juries IN
the United States have no arbitrary
power, the speaker said that only in
the Illinois parole board can arbitrary
power be found
Parole Board Called Cars
when you visit the Joliet prison
and sec the parole board, YOU see a
car that should have no place on
American SOIL he said. Give the
juries back their pristine power.
"The parole law gives the prisoner
the idea that the punishment Of his
crime depends on his political indu-
ence.' said Mr. Wayman
Il think that the attorneys Of Ill
nois should be able to frame repeal
ing law which would be favored by
the legislature and also escape the
gubernatorial veto. There was a time
when juries were allowed 70 fix the
time of sentence. These JuTies, who
hear the evidence. are not infallible,
yet how about the ministerial board
at the prison that has heard nothing?"
Mr. Wayman had with him Official
documents from the Joliet penitea-
tiary, and from one of these he read
the warden's ticket to a prisoner noti-
flying BIN that his ease had been con
tinued" by the parole board from 1906
to 1913.
Knew Nothing of Case
They call it continuing a case,
said the speaker. This mans case is
continued without a word OF sworn
testimony being heard. The act is not
predicated on the verdict of any jury.
Yet, the man is in prison for seven
years. and he knows not how long
after that time.
Call it what you want to, 1 call /
it a sentence. And it is a sentence