New-York tribune., 1912-02-18
BY JAMES HAY, JR.

"Whcn none Of the persons consulted advises elem
enCy the papers not sent TO the President except by
his special request or by special order OF the Attorney
General; but when anyone Of the officers consulted adj
vSes clcmcncy the papers are submitted to the PrcSi
dent.
"Rcports to the President by attorneys Judges, and
other officials applications for pardon are treated as
confidential.
A has been pointed out, it is impossible for any living
soul TO predict with certainty whether an applCa-
ton for pardon will be granted or refused. But IN
measure there way for the man who thinks ne IS un-
Justly imprisoned TO reach tentative decision as 10
whether he has a chance for relief. This way found IN
the record Of the cases acted avoraby by Mr. TAFT
in the past If the convict thinks he comes within the
conditions there outlined he does have a chance.
From time time there have appeared in the news
papers pretty little stories Of COnvcS securing pardOnS
through the ncrccSSOn Of Mrs Taft. rs matter oi
fact many letters asking her good offices 60 to her but
she hands them over the President who refers them
to the pardon attorney with the request that the cases
TO which they refer be investigated II must be borne
in mind always that pardon are held by the PrcS
dent be above the ntcccSsion Of anyone and that he
has Schoocd himself to be deaf TO all emotional pleas
ANY is naturally sorry for the brother who IS I'M
prSoncl ANY mans heart wrung by the spectacle OF
starving children and wife bowed down by grief But
in the movement have the vcrdicS OF JurcS and the
rulings Of courts aside the President holds that the
facts alone must be weighed, and in the term facts
are included cxtcnuating circumstances and reasons
real rcaSons-for change Of the Government attitude
THE multitude Of events and conditions that can
make ccmcncy possible is absolutely bcwldcrlng;
and vet in nearly every il easily seen that some
little thing might have changed the clcmcncy to lmInu-
table refusal To- render relief.
In Iowa man was sentenced to ifty-ivc years in the
pcnitcntary for cmbczzlng funds and making false en-
tries in the books OF national bank He applied for
clcmcncy The Department Of Justice took it up found
that the man had stolen the money TO pay the expenses
Of surgical operation his crippled and learned
that the people Of his town wanted his release ana cN-
prcsScd their belief that he would prove valuable and
upright citizen. His sentence Commutcd 10 only
three wears with the usual allowances for good conduct
Here was a hcarrrcniing story Of the fathers hcrcc
desire 10 relieve the Suiicrngs Of his SON II was be-
Grvci that the terrific sentence Of yvc years al hard
labor had been excessive and Il reasoned that hay
ing worn the uniform Of the prison for little less than
three years the father would 60 out TO his fellows and
rebuild rs best he might, his broken reputation
Lizzie Carlish. an Indian girl OF Wisconsin, was irst
sentenced 10 imprisonment for life the charge Of
arson Later her punishment was reduced 10 coninc-
mcnt in a reform school until She reached the age OF
twcntv-onc. Kindly men and women heard OF her
story and told Il 90 the officials IN Washington, with
plea for clcucncv. Whcna child at the age when
girls are still playing with dolls just beginning 10
dream Of long dresses, she taken from the tcpcc "i
her parents and placed in a school on the Menomnec
Indian Reservation. There she became dissatisfied and
honcsick Was it any wonder that she did; Lonely.
miserable and sulcn, she heard the suggestion oi one
Of the older girls that she should burn down the school
She set fire Of the buildings. II easy imagine
with what a strong stroke Of the pen the President
signed the order for her sentence TO expire mmcdl-
atcly."
In the books Of fate it had been written that Columbia
George Umatilla Indian should believe with implicit
faith in the supcrsons and traditions Of his tribe he
Umatilas their reservation in Oregon, still thought,
even after civilization had surgcd and settled about
them that any Indian entitled to Kill "Spnt
doctor who failed TO patient after promising tat
the cure would become a certainty. Columbia George
took a relative To the doctor a woman, who promised
him to cure the ailng Indian But the patient died, and
Columbia stirred TO desire for revenge and warranted
in his act by the teachings Of his tribe killed the doc
tor" In committing the crime he employed craft, in
L,-irt th1 lrln. MhlSkN into MMlDn