The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-01-27
USE AND ABUSE OF THE
PARDONING POWER.

From the Americas Times-RecOrder
1t is stated that during the
past twelve months siXty-two
persons convicted of some crime
involving the taking of human
life have been released from the
Georgia penitentiary by pardon
or Communication Of sentence by
the prison commission and the
governor.
Not in the history of the pres
ent penitentiary system have
pardOns and combinations been
handed out with such a gener-
GUS hand. While there is no
doubt that many of the benefi-
Charles were deserving of mercy,
and that many who remain in
confinement deserve it, too, the
figures are, in a sense, appalling.
is it being overdone?" asks The
Dawson News, from which we clip
the above editorial extract. The
News does not oppose a proper use
of the pardOning power. 1t readily
sees that there are times when the
demands of justice have been fully
met, and when mercy should be ex-
tended through executive cIemency.
But it fears that crime is being en-
couraged by wholesale pardons such
as it asserts have taken place of late.
late.
In Florida last year or the year
before there was such apparent abuse
OF the pardOning power, so MANY
criminals were turned loose, that the
people and the papers united in
strong protests against the system.
WhlIe there have been individual in
stances in Georgia where it was ex-
ceedlngIy doubtful if the pardoning
power had been wisely used there
has been no such abuse of it as to
arouse general indignation. At the
same time it is readily seen that
conditions are closely approaching
the danger point when so many Grim
mails are turned loose as had pardons
issued to them last year.
PardOns given after due publicity
would doubtless be held down to
minimum and be restricted to cases
IN which the public felt assured that
good would ensue. But pardons OBJ
tanned, as they often are, by LAWYERS
quietly appearing before the pardon
board, with a petition signed by cit
lzenS who have not investigated the
at all, tend to bring the en-
TIRE system into disrepute and open
the way for bitter condemnation OF
II. 1t might be we'll if the legisIa-
lure would revise the system to the
extent of requiring public notice that
an application for a pardon is to he
made through the newspapers of the
in which the crime was
committed, in order that citizens who
may De opposed to it may have an
opportunity to enter a protest. AS
II is now only one side is heard. and
there is no way of ascertaininp
whether the real sentiment of the
community faVors the pardon or not.
only recently murderer was par
doned and turned loose on Savan-
nan. He had shot down a bow in
cold blood. Soon after his return
nome his wife is found appealing to
the courts for protection against his
brutality. His pardon was a beauti-
Iul example of the misuse of the now
e. DouDtless scores of cases could
De brought up where political in
nuences or the liberal use of nancy
IN engaging attorneys and working
up petitions have brought pardons
Tor men who should have been kent
In the penitentiary. If the law re-
CURED the publication Of the petit
lon for pardon, with the full list
OF the signers and a brief account
or the crime for which the prisoner
was convicted, it is safe to say public
would frequently assert it,
Selt TO the extent of preventing the
granting of pardons. BY far the
greater part of the pardons are OBJ
quietly, that is, in such wav
as TO avoid awakening the better SEN
tlment of the community in which
tne crime was committed. Let us
nave sufficient publicity before the
pardon is issued to ascertain what
the community really wants.
Hero 10 "a Good