Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-05-25

lis taking other peoples money for his
cwn use
Walsh had acquired great power in
the control of three banks. HIS RESPONSE
biilties were commensurate. His g,ii1t
is IN proportion to the trust and con-
fidence extended to him. or course he
did not intend to steal the moSey of
MS depositors or stockholders, but he
is not less guilty on this account. He
abused their trust and confidence and
imperiled the money OF those who trusted
him In enterprises of most speculative
character.
SrGNDRS ARE MIsINFORMED.
MANY influential and prominent per-
sons have petitioned for his pardon.
They do not fully appreciate. It seems
to me, the high Importance to society
that such criminal breaches OF trust as
this be severely punished Such breaches
sometimes escape punishment because
the misuse of tho funds result in n pro-
fit. In such cases the dishones. or reck-
less bank officer takes the profit and
the bank is made whole and no one
Is the wiser. Then the officer comes to
regard himself as a shrewd manipulation
with legitimate business lines The truth
Is, that in the mad rush for wealth in
the last few decades. the lines between
profit from legitimate business and i'm
proper gain from undue use of trust
control over other peoples property and
money has sometimes been dimmcd and
the interest Of society requires that when
ever opportunity offers, those charged
with the enforcement Of the law should
emphasize the distinction between hon
est business and dishonest breaches of
trust.
walsh IL 70 years of age. His health ii
not good, but I do not think from tho
evidence that his condition Is alarming
or requires his release before the time
when his case may be brought before the
parole authorities
APPEAL TO SYMPATHY
There are circumstances which have
been emphasized by those who have rep
resented Walsh in the application for
| pardon that appeal to ones svnnotbv
If the case is Judged with reference &c
Walsh alone But 1t must be Judged with
reference to the right Of society to have
the law enforced and crime punished nc
matter how influential the convicted per.
pitiahle condition may lead to speak IN his
| behalf. The opportunity TO commit suor
crimes is only afforded to men who have
enjoyed high positions in society and bove
secured the trust and friendship of many
Every case of this kind. therefore, must
present some such consideration as those
referred to. and if the executive. on an.
peal for clemency should yield to them
| II would defiant bo
present demorallzing difference between
the punishmnt meted out to the ordinar,
criminal whose circumstances hnv,
naturally led him into crime and on.
whose position in society should hav,
made for him strongest restraint aga,ns
violation of the law"
| In the Morse case. Mr.. Taft said.
'Charles w. Morse was convicted o.
interpolation Of funds of the Nationa,
Bank OF North America and OF making
false entries IN the books of the bank
and its reports to the comptroller o,
the currency.
MORSE JUST AS GUILTY.
although his conviction technical,
was on false entries, there is no doub,
as to what the evidence showed gen.
in large private transactions in which
the maintenance of the prrce of Ger,
tam stock in the market was of capf
tai Importance to him, and he procure.
control Of this particular bank an,
other banks for the purpose of doinl
the specific thing mentioned which
was essential to the success of hi,
speculations. The result of hrs opera
; tions was severe losses to the bant
which forced it into liquidation.
Morse exhibited the same fraudu
lent and criminal disregard of tn,
trust imposed upon him in the exer
: clsc Of the control over the bank a
Walsh did. Indeed, the methods tax
en- by Morse tend to show that NOR
kccnly than Walsh did he realize tn
evil of what he was doing and resor
to more suhstle methods to accomplis,
ana conceal them"
one Of tie chief arguments, said tn
President, is that Morse made good tn
losses inflicted on the bank. But the ev
dcnce does not show this to be true an
cYen II 1T We're, 1T could not change tn
necessity for his lawful punishment fo
D The crime he committed"
The President says he mas no doub
q from a consideration OF the facts in eac
! case. that Morse should have receive
70 heavier sentence than Walsh
Whether Is years is too great a ser
S tence, I do not now propose to decid
@ 1t win depend somewhat upon Morse
: future conduct in prison. This application
q therefore, is now denied as prematur
o but may be renewed at some suhsequeI
, date.
] THE number of prominent and influel
J tial members Of society who have aske
b for clemency in Morses case is quite
great as in that of Walsh. In my deni:
a Of the application In each OF these case
o have no desire to minimize the we!gl
n of the opinion and prayer in favor
70 clemency of the petitioners. but for II
% same reason that | have given above Il
o. differing from them in the Walsh cas-
e | must differ with them In Morse T."
SUGAR MAKERS GET TIME.