Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-12-17
WHY RICH CRIMINALS
CANNOT BE IMPRISONED
w. T. oennison Gives Reason for Bit
terness Caused by Actions Of Courts
Towards the Powerful as Political
appointments TO Legal and judicial
Positions.

BALTIMORE. MD. Dec. 16.-Polit-
zeal lawyers in the government ser
vice are largely responsible for the
popular impression that it is next
to impossible to put a rich criminal
in jail. declared Assistant Attorney
General w I. Denis on in an address
here today before the National Civil
Service Reform Association.
Predicting that civil service prin-
ciples ultimately would be applied to
all legal positions in the government
service, with the possible exception
of attorney general and solicitor gen
aral, Mr.. Denison declared the break
down OF the criminal law was due
largely TO political appointments in
legal positions because they prevent
the people from getting their money 6
worth n ability and services.
A law officer of the government
and es pecially a criminal prosecutor
ought not to know a Republican from
a Democrat" said Mr.. Denison.
Should Select by Promotion.
President Taft and Attorney Gen
eral Wickersham had eliminated pc
litical considerations from all ap
pointments under Attorney General
except in a few isolated cases, he
continued. and as the result OF his
experience in the prosecuting branch
of the government. he said he mad
come 10 believe that all assistant at
torneys general and all United States
hn. cnlaat0H hv
promotion on competitive basis and
all positions below assistant district
attorney by competitive oral and 9th
err examination. practice which had
been used by Henry l.. Stimson, when
the latter was United States District
Attorney in New York.
Mr.. Denison said that Mr.. Slim
sons prosecutions of rebates. sugar
frauds and bank wreckers never could
have succeeded if he had made ap
pointments in his Office in accordance
with the demands Of politicians. The
New York politicians. he said. had
even protested to Attorney Genera
Bonaparte that Stimson was requir
ing too much public work from his
assistants. which had the effect OF
causing them 10 neglect legal wort
for the Republican organization o.
New York. which they wanted done al
public expense.
stimson's Method Opposed.
"Stimson's method was strongly
opposed not only by the ordinary
type of politician declared Mr.. Den
:son.. but by certain very enlight
eaed and genuinely public spirited
leaders who were of opinion that Mr.
Stimson was in error politically in
adopting k
1T came. down. then. to the rea
objection-a direct bald question o.
dollars and cents The party manaS
ers said in effect: The party has
to have certain amount of iega
work cone. some Of il for poor mem
bers of :ha party who reed TO be KEEP
in line By sone sort OF charity. and
some of it for direct organization lie
gal work in connection with watching
elections. advising as TO rights oi
voters. etc. etc. This legal work be
ing necessary. how. they said. ear
We get men 10 DO it2-Would any
body do il without compensation? We
must then either pay them from on,
own private money. or we mrst pay
them through preference in appoint
nenis. at good salsries--fn othel
words. through the pubic purse .
Shocking &c Moral Sense.
Il agree fully that this poin. o
view IS shocking to the moral sem
Of. al least. the average Ran. thougi
recognize that IN particular cases
II doas not seem immoral TO mani
men of genuinely high moral cbarsc
Ter. confess that ! have not the
acusenesS OF moral vision that car
perceive is essential distinction froT
ordinary embezzlcment
An this IS aside from another fun
damentsI evil Of the sposls system
which IS an evil common indeed 4
the application Of that system in al
kinds 81 appointments. but perhap
IN The largest degree evidenced i
regard 70 legal positions. The term
Of public Office are very short IN tn
country. the law Is very long; ans
the to do not n. Under our D.
fcc;ire ard absurd legai procedure
the laws delays are 50 great thai
I herd-foucnf iceai campaign axaius
.xpcri snccd and high-psid c0unse
can rof b. carried through TO fna
continuation within the iimisz - ~
.crm 4 oficc: AM clianrt IN r.