Weekly journal-miner., 1913-07-30
LAMAR'S NEW ROLE.
(From Tuesdays Daily)

David Lamar-he admits that that isn't his name. but we will have to call him by 1t in the absence of any other-is very much in the fix of the parrot in the story, who be- came over loquacious with the bull dog, with the result that after a short, sharp passage at arms, he found himself bereft of a goodly quantity of feathers and in general state of disrepair. According to the parrots own diagnosis of his case, he talked too d- much"
 It will be remembered with what guSto Lamar described to the Over man committee his impersonations of public men of varying degrees of prominence and standing. The con feSsedly Smooth" stock broker was in the spotlight and knew it. He was live copy for the newspapers, and enjoyed it. There was no con cealing the relish that he took in his role of a deuce of wicked fellow-a combined Machaivelli and Falleyrand of very high finance and very foxy politics.
 And now the pseudo-Lamar must face trial before Federal jury upon an indictment charging him with impersonating an officer of the government for purposes of fraud. The glare of the spotlight is as brilliant as ever, but it has a sort of greenish, jaundiced tinge He is again live copy; but this time as a man accused of crime. instead of an entertainer for the entire nation And it is safe to assume that in relating his story on the witness stand in court of justice, the de bonair and cocky manner which characterized his former evidence will be decidedly toned down.
 Not that Lamar is subject for any considerable amount of synl- pathy or that he stands in the shadow of any condign punishment. The penalty for the offense with which he is charged is light, and at that it is by no means assured that he will be called upon to pay it. Furthermore. it IS altogether possi- blc, as has been charged, that La mar has no character to lose and, therefore, has nothing to fear from the action of the Federal grand jury.
 It is not so much matter of the fate that is in store for the smooth" one at the hands of the courts-it is the difference in his public pose now and at the time he testified before the Senate committee. A few weeks ago he was hilariously amusing now he is only contemptible. And this is frequently the price paid by those who are over anxious to create mirth.
 There is a doubt in the minds of lawyers whether a member of Con gross is an "officer Of the govern ment" within the meaning of the statute under which Lamar was in dicted. If not, there is no law to reach his confessed vilIainy The present prosecution is based entirely upon a Supreme Court decision, and Supreme Court decisions have be- fore now been known to be very unstable affairs.
 With the technicalities of lawyers we have little to do; but common sense and common decency require that if there is no law to punish the impersonation of a member of Congress for purposes of fraud, one should be enacted with all possible celerity, and we can see no reason why a private citizen, as well as q public official, should not have the same protection. For, aside from the rights of the one upon whom it was sought to perpetrate the fraud, the object of the impersona- ton may, and usually does. have a reputation at stake.
 Lamar is no longer picturesque. He is merely pusillanimous.
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