The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-08-07

oNer Tie county anu ulg up initial evil
dence against violators of the law.
Such is not the general practice in this
office, theoretically or actually. We
have police and detective departments
in the cities and the sheriff and his
force of deputies in the county whose
duty it may be, in certain cases, to de-
tect crime. The duty of the prosecutor
is to secure evidence and conviction,
ON COMPLAINT OR INFORMATION, where
the facts seem to justify such proceed
ure, and both the sheriff and prosecutor
must be backed up by the moral stam-
ina of the citizenship Of the county if
they are to secure the best results. Let
every candid man ask himself the ques-
ton "are they getting such support?
And remember that each defeat of a
case brought to trial, not only encour-
ages other offenders, but it brings
abundant criticism upon the prosecutor
and wastes the public funds. The pres
ent prosecutor is being criticised be-
cause he has secured only one convic-
ton, but suppose he had made numer-
Gus prosecutions that resulted in num-
erous acquittals, what then would have
been said of him? 1t is easy to try. all
of these matters out in the newspapers,
and to arrange a satisfactory verdict,
but it will have to be admitted that
court procedure is different matter.
About the liquor cases now pending
and that have been brought to conclu-
sion we can claim no actual knowledge.
Thirty-six cases are said to have been
started in the seventeen moAths that
the present prosecutor has held his
Office. Of these, three were brought to
trial, resulting in one conviction, one
disagreement and one acquittal; of the
others, eight plead guilty, ten were
dismissed on the recommendation Of the
prosecutor because there was not, in
his opinion, sufficient evidence to con-
vict, and fourteen are pending. In all
fairness the cases where the accused
plead guilty should count as convictions,
as the evidence had been collected in
those cases and was ready for presenta-
tion in court. The fact that ten of the
cases were discontinued on the recon-
mendation of the prosecutor is no
evidence of inefficience on his part If
the evidence was insufficient to convict,
his duty to the taxpayers of the county
and to himself demanded that they
should be discontinued We have no
knowledge of the facts in these cases,
and do not intend to discuss them. 1t
is the opinion of the prosecutor against
that of his political enemies and the
people must figure out the issue for
themselves.
The prosecutor informs us that of
he ox.Ix Axxv<
were at issue, that is to say the prelim-
mary examination had been held in but
two cases, prior to the last term of
court. These were the cases against
Berridge, and they could not be tried at
sick in bed, and the case was put over
on motion of his attorney.
1t is also true, we believe, that no
jury has been drawn in the circuit court
since April, so that it has been abso-
lutely impossible to try any of these
cases since that time, and this through
no fault of the prosecutor. Therefore,
the entire howl about the liquor cases
SINNERS down to pretty small compass.
The prosecutor also informs us that
he has never refused to entertain
complaint in any case where the evil
dence seemed to warrant such action.
These are the circumstances of this
controversy, as the prosecutor and his
assistant have presented them to Us.
Their probability must be left to the
judgment of the voter, and if it appears
that the prosecutor has fulfilled the re-
quirements of his office with reasonable
and customary diligence and ability,
then he should be honored with re-
nomination as has been the custom IN
the past. 1t is we'll to remember there
are always plausible grounds for GUST
ing man from office as presented by
opposing faction.