Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1914-01-21


precedent which would justify
E any subsequent governor, who might
: be opposed to the prohibitory nuuor
law, TO commute all Jail or peni-
Tertiary sentences inflicted in such
/; cases upon the ground that ne did
7 not like the law, and that he knew
better than the people what should
be done in such cases. The same
principle would apply to all laws.
Concede the principle contended for
by the governor, and where will
the matter end? II would utterly
demoralize the enforcement OF law
In Oklahoma, and would convert the
State government into one of men
and not OF law What do the people
OF Oklahoma think OF this?
The law of Oklahoma prescribes
the penalty of death for willful
murder. This punishment. like most
OF our penal laws, was taken by the
legislature from the divine law. In
the thirty-hfth chapter of the Book
OF Numbers. the Bible says:
Moreover We shall take no sat
isfaction for the life OF a murderer:
which is guilty OF death; but he
shall be surely put to death. And We
shall take no satisfaction for him
that is fled to the city of his refuge.
that he should come again to dwell
in the land until the death of the
priest.
So We shall not pollute the land
wherein ye are; for blood deiileth
the land; and the land cannot BE-
cleansed OF the blood OF him that
shed it.
"Deile not therefore the land
which we shall inhabit; wherein.
dwell; for l, the Lord, dwell among
the children of Israel
I'VE are also told in the ninteenth
chapter of Deuteronomy:
THAT innocent blood be not shed
in they land. which the Lord thy
God giveth thee for an inheritance,
and so blood be upon thee
" But if any man hate his neigh
Dor, and lie IN wait for him, and
rise up against him and smite him
mortally that he die, and fleeth into
one OF these cities:
Then the elders of his city shall,
the avenger of blood, that he may
die.
Thine eye shall not pity him, but
thou shalt put away the guilt of in
send and fetch him into the hand of
nocent blood from Israel. that it
may go we'll with thee
Many other passages OF Scrip
ture can be quoted to the same Ell
feet. for the Bible is absolutely anan-
imous in its statements that the 1e-
gal punishment for wiiIfnl murder
shall be death
This is a question for the people
or the legislature alone The SUI
preme question is: Shall the laws
of Oklahoma be enforced' One OF
the most mischieviouS tendencies OF
the present day is disposition man.
ifested among the people to set
their individual judgment up against
the law, and to assert their right
not to obey any law unless it meets
with their personal approval. This is
pure and simple 1t IS
bad enough for private citizens 10
feel and act this way, but it is much
more criminal for officials to do so,
and the higher the official the great
er the crime committed. All State
officials have taken an oath to sup
port the laws Of the State. No gov
,rnor has the right to say directly
or substantially, either by words or
" actions, which speak louder than
words: 4 think that capital punish
nent is wrong. | know that 1t Is
aught in the Bible. and is provided
or in the laws OF Oklahoma, but
occupy higher plane than this.
am not such a barbarian as TO be-
ieve this is right | am a better
Judge of what punishment should be
than is taught in the Bible.
,r than the ignorant. savage and
people of Oklahoma
lave provided for in their laws.
Notwithstanding my Off
ial oath, l will place my Judgment
hove the law, both human and
iivine, and make my will supreme
II this State. and will not permit
apital punishment to be inflicted IN
Oklahoma, no matter what the law
5 or how atrocious the offense COM
nitted may have been. All officials
re only my personal servants and
: is their duty to execute my or
ers, and not stop and inquire as &c
THAT the law is. The courts must
erOnnize and bOu IN me as their