The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-02
Will SEND THEN no JAIL.

IF WILL SEND THEN TO JAIL.
OF course, Wickersham Will send
Z the head devils of the Standard Oil
and Tobacco combinations to Jail for
their violation of the sherman anti
trust law, IL he can find the way and
the trial juries Will convict lie has
ssntimated that such is his disposition.
i and that such will be his effort when
the proper time comes But Wicker
I sham can't send them to TAIL, just so:
he can't put prosecution in the slot
I md take out a conviction All the,
4 lawyers on the Investigating commit
tee of the House, particularly the law
ayers from the South. know how djf-
nlcult II is to secure a verdict of
guilty before many OF the juries in
cases involving not only the safety OF
human life, but the security OF prop
crty also; that indictments are caster
than convictions.
M W!ckcrsham wes before the com
mittee for three hours on Wednesday.
and answered great many interesting
4 questions. The Sun correspondent re-
< ported that the Democratic members
OF the committee who hoped to drive
II the Attorney General ito max dis
closures which would provide political
capital for the Democrats in the 1912
Presidential election" We're disnppoint-
ed rs lie was absolutely frank in deal
ing with the committee. and not only
I answered all the questions he could
consistently with his sense of official
duty, but went j little farther than
was necessary in reciting what has
been done by the present Administrn-
tion in running down the trusts 1t Is
added by the correspondent that Tho
Democratic committeeman had to ac-
knowledge that he made II good show
ing" For example every one who
could be caught in any way connected
with the sugar trust has been III
dicted. and five of the criminals have
been convicted; the Standard Oil and
Tobacco trusts have been dissolved;
several million dollars have been dis
! gorGed by the sugar thieves, and pro-
ceedinEs VIII be Instituted on the
criminal side OF the courts against al!
the responsible heads of all the trusts.
AS We understand. however these
questions are legal, rather than politi.
cal questions, and must DO dealt with
according to the orderly processes cf
the law and not for the purpose of
making any sort OF political hay for
any party.
Criminal proceedings in ali cases
where there has been the least shadow
OF criminal acts should BIO undertaken,
but not in obedience 10 any resolu-
ton OF Congress or In response to the
II demands OF any committee of investi-
cation. The mob spirit is not less
subversive of law when 1t is directed
by Congress than when 1t Is influenced
by the commands Of Judge Lynch. All
leaders Wits ifava been guilty or Grim
inal acts under the terms of the law
should be prosecuted as criminals and
punished as criminals: but they must
be prosecuted by law and punished bv
law; BY the findings of juries regular
~ empanelled and under their oatbs
to we'll and truly try and true deliver
ence mako according to the law ana
II Inc evidence and not according 10 tho
resolutions OF Congress or the reports
OF committees. Prosecution and nun
ishment are now in the air. rhe whole
temper OF the people is for conviction.
There would be short shrift AT This
time for the men who are accused Of
crimina! conduct III the management of
the trusts NO think they should be
convicted and we believe ,iiat many
OF them viii be convicted. but much a.;
We hope for their conviction we should
not BIO willing to have them drawn.
4 auartered and hanged without, fair
trial under the law. Look at The sugar
trust. look a the wireless people. look
at Morse ana Walsh look nj the Du
yeen smugglers. look nj the high brow !
VINO have been caught in I.oeb'a Gus
tom house net in New York and il
4 would seem that Grants demand in
the Wh!skey frauds. Let no guilty
man escape is about to have its fn,l
demonstration in these present fruit
ful times when the Law is coming bncl,
into its own and Justice has been re-
stored 10 her throne