Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-06
President Wilson and Jersey Juries

President Wilson and Jersey Juries
Truly a wonderful man is President
Woodrow Wilson, and his wonderful
ness was never better illustrated than
in connection with those speeches he
has been making against the gang and
for the American people in New Jer-
sey.
To the average man there is some
thing surprising in the idea Of a man
after he has become president, going
back to his own state to engage In
what politicians generally designate as
local quarrels."
The attitude of the politician, at
least every politician Of which we have
any knowledge, to such a matter is
about this: well, I served my time
fighting it out with those fellows down
there. I got the best Of them, and
showed the people how. Now that 1
am out Of reach Of further trouble, I
will leave the old gang and the people
to fight it out, while attend to- con-
Germs Of greater Importance"
But really, is there anything CT
greater importance than this matter
of securing to the whole people fair
deal in the courts-in establishing a
condition under which all may feel as
sured Of the integrity of the courts,
and Justice" does not depend upon
the pleasure or favor Of bosses?
It appears that in New Jersey, ju-
ries are drawn by sherifs who make
selections Of veniremen in their own
discretion. 1t is not difficult to COM
prehend how, If sheriff be that kind
Of man, he has 1t in his power to Sc
lect jurymen who will follow his de-
sires. Then it is easy to go and see
how corrupt political leaders. by elect
ing and controlling sheriff, can have
everything their own way. And this,
President Wilson claims, is the situa-
ton in many Of the most populous
counties of New Jersey.
Just think how 1t works with jury
drawn by gang in its own interest. In
the first place, a grand jury would lay
down on an indictment If 1t saw prop
er; but If, in the opinion Of the smooth
managers, 1t was considered best to al
low bill to get by a grand jury, and
that would sometimes happen so as to
disarm public suspicion, then the petit
jury would find a verdict Of not guilty.
In this way the gangs thieves and
murderers could be turned loose after
fair and impartial" trial, the gangs
enemies could be punished by due pro-
cess of law, and criminals could be
won to eternal gratitude by favor Of
the bosses. On the civil side of the
court, corporations and rich individ-
uals who fail to pay liberal tribute to
the gang, could be bled for heavy
damages on trumped-up charges and
there you are.
And all this is not imagination. 1t
is true. President Wilson says 1t is
true. And nobody is going to doubt
the truth of 1t, because the condition
Of affairs complained Of is not confin-
ed to New Jersey. Intelligent men,
familiar with court procedure, have
witnessed more or less we'll defined
cases elsewhere, and many good cit
izen has sweated the sweat of agony
over just such situation.
So do not let US assume that the
president is stepping aside from larger
things to smaller things. Since the
days Of Runnymede, all English
speaking people have come to believe
that the right of trial by jury is the
greatest and best protection of human
liberty. It is a waste of words, how
ever, to state that II the jury trying a
given case is made up Of the choice Of
corrupt politicians, the processes of
law under such conditions becomes
even more dangerous to liberty than
was the will Of the king previous to
Runnymede.
Developments Of the past few
months have disclosed the utterly hor-
rible conditions that prevail In New
i OTh, OlIltE SldleS, dilu OOulii
Carolina has seen numerous examples
of the shrewd jury packing even un-
der her present laws, which may be
considerably improved.
1t is probably fact that If after
his election to the presidency Mr.. Will
son had left New Jersey to her cor
ruption, he would never have been
subjected to criticism on that account;
but after all it does not seem surpris-
ing that he has chosen to follow an
other course. 1t has been made clear
| on numerous occasions that the pres
ident is an unusually high type Of a
Christian, possessed Of intelligence and
| courage, and he has a conscience that
would not allow him to neglect a mat
ter that is really more important than
tariff reform, currency reform or any
other question that has confronted the
American people since the days when
they first began to lay the foundations
of this government.