East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-03-27
FROM THE PEOPLE
JUDGE BENNETT EXPLAINS.

The DalleS, Ore, March 25. 1914.
Editor Of the East Oregonian:
My attention has been called to an
article in your paper in relation to
a little speech I recently delivered at
the Jackson Club. which seems to
me to have been written in rather
bitter tone.
In the first place, you assume that
do not like Governor West person.
ally In this you are mistaken. but
let that pass There may have been
some foundation for your assumption
in the fact that We disagreed rather
| bitterly four or five years ago.
You seem to think that my talk be-
fore the Jackson Club was intended
as a criticism of the governor.
/ do not think any one else who
heard my talk or read the report.
took it that way.
| Here is what l said and all said
in relation to law enforcement as re-
ported for the Portland Journal.
LAS regards law enforcement, every
candidate may be assumed to be in
| favor thereof. I believe in the most
strict and vigorous enforcement OF
the law, but / don't believe that one
law should be picked ont for en-
forcement and others avoided. !
| share with Governor West his Wig
orous. his bitter indignation at the
| sale OF liquor to boys and girls, and
such infractions shall have no mercy
at my hands.
"I would use every means at my
disposal to see law enforced with
utmost vigor But believe also that
every man should be entitled to q
fair trial before punishment is ad-
ministered or property is taker
away. Law enforcement should fall
on the just and the unjust, the good
and the bad. No man. whether min
! lister or saloonkeeper, should have
his property taken away from hin
without a fair trial. No mans lib
erty should be taken away without {
fair hearing.
"If the laws are bad we can make
, all the changes we want under ou
Oregon system. No king, whether h,
be good king or bad king. has righ
to take away a mans liberty or hi
: property without giving that man
I fair hearing"
do not think this can fairly b
construed as a criticism unless sucl
criticism Is involved in the mer
fact of a difference Of opinion.
think on the contrary that I plain
ly expressed an approval of Cover
nor Vests main policy OF vigorou
law enforcement. And that I wi
seek to continue that policy in tn
same spirit. 1t may be fairly infer
| red perhaps that / do not agree wit
the governor as to the methods G
such enforcement. But there are yer
few people that can always agree
and II is a democratic principle. the
each man can think for himself.
You sneer at me In your article be
cause I am a lawyer" and assum
without any foundation. I think
that lawyers are not law abiding G
In favor of enforcing the law. ] al
not ashamed Of my profession.
know that there is some prelude
against lawyers, and perhaps thei
is q like prejudice to an equal exter
against doctors.
No doubt there are some ''shysters
- in both professions. / have alwa,
believed that a lawyer could be {
C honest and Just and patriotic, as
'e man in any other business and II
l. thought that my profession prevente
r. me from being just or a good cit
zen, I would have left It long ago.
10 dcobt some doctors keep q ma
sick to get bigger bill. No doul
some take advantage OF the sic