Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-02-19
TIL K s X N TIN Ell.
ROCKVILLE MD
Friday Morning.....February 10, 1915.
a STORY AND ITS LESSONS.


illustrating the responsibility of the in
dividual citizen for therieht conduct of the
work of the courts, Justice Ransom told of
an incident which strongly impressed itself
upon him when he was first admitted to
the bar and was a resident of the borough
Of Brooklyn.
had the fortune to be one of the at
torneys of record, said he, in case of
considerable Importance, in which the at
torney for the principal defendant was one
of the well-known trial lawyers of this
borough, and he conducted the case for all
the defendants. His client was a con-
spicuous example of the familiar type of
business man who is too busy to give any
time to civic duties. We had the greatest
difficulty in getting a satisfactory jury,
but finally our challenges were exhausted,
and we had to take the best we could get
after that. The case was one in which
the defendant should have won before a
jury which would have given it fair and
conscientious consideration, but the jury
was far below the average panel. and the
judge showed little disposition or ability
to impress upon his panel the importance
OF the right performance of their duties.
The jury's verdict as we feared, was for
the plaintiff
las he walked out of the court house,
the busy business man was busy in pro-
fame comment upon the court and jury
and the whole American system of ad-
ministering justice. whereupon his veteran
counsel sharply said to him;
Hold on a minute How many times
during the last six years have you asked
me to get you excused from jury duty
How many times have you served on
jury in the last twenty years? Why, have
to keep clerk in my office with political
affiliations for no other purpose than to
get you and your kind of patriots out of
jury duty whenever you are called. Of
course, the jury trimmed you; it did not
know any better but you got exactly what
you deserved. You business men who
always manage somehow to get out of jury
duty better remember that some day you
may have to face a jury, and then you
will wish that more men of your kind were
in the panel. Don't criticise the jury to
me; it is exactly what you business men
have made it. with your lack of patriotism
and your conjured up excusesl
THAT is the point of view which ought
to be emphasized before every citizen"
The evil here pointed out exists in almost
every community and its consequences
affect every class of the people. 1t is not
confined to jury duty. but to all of the
duties which the citizen owes to his fellows,
especially to those which may require the
bestowal of little of his time or some
degree of exertion or self-sacrifce on his
part.
Everybody knows, when he pauses to
reflect, that cooperation is the secret of
genuine and permanent progress. and how
easily the load is moved when everyone
has his shoulder to the wheel and is hon.
estly applying his strength to the task.
The trouble is that too many prefer the
doubtful comfort of the "lazy-board" to
intelligent assistance to the team.
Half of the complaint of the administra-
ton of public affairs would be avoided
and very large percentage of the public
expenses would be saved, if the direct
positive obligations of citizenship were per
formed as they should be. If we selected
our public officers after careful thought
with reference to their character and ability
there would not be the constant demand
for change, which is costly because mex
perience is always, by reason of change
in charge of affairs which require the eff.
cheney that results from familiarity coupled
with ability and industry. This kind OF
efficiency spells economy and clears the
way for Improvements which are revealed
by the knowledge of existing conditions.
The SENTINEL has been somewhat persis-
tent on this and kindred subjects; but we
feel very earnestly that the present is a
time when. as a people. we should be
especially thoughtful The extent of the
European war is bound to affect us pro.
foundly. We may not be brought into
hostilities, but we cannot escape the eco
nomic conditions and the revolution in trade
that are sure to follow. Already we arr
feeling the burden of il in increased taxa
tion and in the day-long anxieties which
the passions and excuses of warning ma
tons produce.
In our own State, through the thought
lessness or ignorance of the Legislature. VIZ
are confronted by Treasury deficit which
will add materially to our taxes. In county
affairs the prospect points to an increase
in the levy of 1915.
All these are conditions which the indi.
vidual citizen feels The taxpayer feels
them directly. the non-taxpayer indirectly
and. in the long run. it would be difficult
to decide which class has the greater in
terest in the situation.
There is no doubt, however, that each OF
them is charged with duty with respect
to that situation. And fortunately the
opportunity is at hand when, by proper
scrutiny in the nomination of candidates
for Office. from Governor down. they may
inaugurate the reforms that are demanded
by the large public interests involved, and
prepare for the changes, now yelled by
uncertainties, that are inevitable as the
outcome Of the greatest and most destruc-
tive war the world has ever known.
Maryland Day March Twentieth.