The Glenwood post., 1911-03-04
A. J. DICKSON, Editor and Proprietor
Saturday, March i, 1911.
WHAT ARE THE FACTS?


the past fortnight seem to show what =
fire little blaze kiudlcth and also to
prove how prone is the general public
to fly off at tangent and make accuSa-
tions against public officials which it Is
not able to substantate.
First we mad a great hue and cry and
a public uproar concerning Judge Gree
ley w Whitford who was the subjec:
of criticism and downright abuse from
all portions of the state and especially
from the labor unions who passed reso-
lutions by the wholesale denouncing
Judge Whitford, and for what?
The Post representative took parti2-
ular pains to make inquiry of Judge
Whitford 5 defamers as to what dread
full thing the Judge had done to warrant
such wholesale denunciations and they
could not tell. About the only answer
we could get was the plain statement
that the judge had sentenced sixteen
miners to jail, but even Judge Whit
ford 5 bitterest enemies We're not able
10 prove that these miners did not de
serve the sentence they received.
They could not, if they had SO de
sired. deny Judge Whitford 5 state
ments to these miners at the time ne
pronounced sentence upon them. They
contented themselves by getting he
hind the statement that Judge Whit
ford lacked jurisdiction while few
went so far Is to say he violated the
law and yet Charles S Thomas, one Of
the shrewdest and best posted lawyers
in the state, selected by labor leaders
as one of their speakers in the big in
dignation meeting Just before the big
parade made on the capital for the pur-
pose of intimidating the supreme court
and other public officials, told his hear
crs that Judge Whitford had violated
no law and when it came up to the su,
preme court on application for a writ
of supersedeas that tribunal promptly
denied the writ thus vindicating the
Judge completely.
Now the latest stunt pulled off in
connection with the affair is the state
ment of a disreputable woman. who has
served time in the penitentiary. to the
effect that Judge Whitford was paid
$4,000 for rendering his decision against
the miners. If the statement be true,
Judge Whitford deserves the severest
punishment prescribed by the law-But
what are the facts? Public sentiment
which but short time ago was keyed
up to such a high pitch that almost
every man one would meet on the street
would not hesitate to criticise Judge
Whitford of some great crime. even
though he could not specify the ele-
ments of that crime. But now it is
different.
The other case in which there was
a whole lot of smoke though but mighty
little fire is that wherein Senator Lori
mer of Illinois was accused of securing
his office through Illegal methods. The
charges against Lorimer We're severe,
hut general in their character, finally
dwindling down TO a statement that
I.orimer received seven votes Illegally
The Post never has and will not ut
tempt to condone the conduct of which
Senator Lorimer was accused. but in
view of the fact that Lorimer could
lose those seven so-called tainted votes
and still be elected and the further
fact that those making the accusations
against him made mighty poor stag
ger toward proving their ease. but en-
phasizes the fact that public clamor
when stimulated by a yellow press ami
Jealous politicians is not always safe
guide in such instances.
We admit that the circumstance sur
rounding Lorimer's election looked sus
picious. but, as in the case of man
accused of any other crime, the man
was entitled to make his defense and
he won ont. Whether he may or may
not be guilty. the facts brought out at
his investigation did not warrant his
expulsion, and like a prisoner at the
bar of the court. Lorimer was given the
benefit of the doubt Public sentiment
and public clamor. whentensified ov
political jealousies. have ruined many
good man. but it always pays to weigh
the facts and then pass judgment ac-
cordingly.