The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-02
FORMING OPINIONS ON
INCOMPLETE EVIDENCE

A really superior man with large
elastic mind and large inelastic
backbone, together with the vision
TO grasp big questions in their en-
iirety beyond their mere technical
limitations is a prize asset in any
community. And such man on
the bench, where character and
breadth as well as learning ana
technical skill in the law are needed
IS especially valuable.
We take it that Judge o. K
Reaves, recently appointed to the
bench in the Sixth circuit, is that
kind of man, if we may judge by
his speech at the dinner given him
by the St. Petersburg bar associa-
ton The judge made an excellent
talk and what he said about public
opinion formed as to the guilt or
innocence on defendant on trial,
from casual reading of incomplete
newspaper newspaper reports was
well said and to the point.
The Frank case in Georgia was
cited as an excellent illustration In
that case there were thousands OF
signatures to petitions asking for
Communication of the sentence and in
many instances for complete pardon.
and the signers had scarcely any
knowledge of the merits of the case.
They hadn't read the testimony. eX-
papers, but they didn't hesitate to
form an opinion and ask the gov
ernor to set aside the verdict of the
jury And men equally ignorant of
full knowledge of the case signed pc
titions protesting AGAINST clemency
to Frank.
That horrible thing known as mob
law, in which everything that is
cruel, lawless and british in the hui
man heart, takes possession of the
man, is the legitimate product of a
reckless, passionate public opinion
which refuses to hear the full facts
in the case in the decent, orderly
way prescribed by law, and con-
dennis and murders it's victims as
they did in the days of the cave
man. If the fierce, swift-movins
public sentiment which creates and
justifies the mob would put it's dy
manic force back of our courts
juries and lawmakers and give u.
sure and speedy justice in the cour
cease and there would be no repeti
tion of the disgraceful and democrat
izing incidents during and subse
quent to the trial in the Frank case
The administration of justice
largely in the individuality of tn
man on the bench and Judge Reave
talks like one of the right kind.
The Davis package law won't
NuCl a Ddu lOl Jilc odiooh pS'
;le of Florida after all, according
one of them in Ocala. He says thu
under that law he expects to il
crease his sales thirty per cent ar
have $50 per month less expenses
This is not precisely the result CO..
templated by Senator Davis al
would seem to indicate a fatal mi
take somewhere in the calculation
Former Governor Slaton made
orderly and dignified getaway fro
Atlanta to New York as per his pr
arranged schedule and there was
retreat under fire; but we still thil
despite the opinion of the Oca
Star, that it was ill-timed weakns
in him to ask that the rowdies a
hoodlums who had sought to publ
" degrade him even while he W
still governor of Georgia, should
free of punishment And we nj
with satisfaction that the Fult
county grand jury is of our opini
on the subject and will haul
batch of these gentry into court
answer for their conduct. The 81
says that the eX-governor's requ
that the rioters be let down ef
shows rather his lack of vindicti
ness than his deficiency in couras
We don't question his courage;
proved that; nor does vindictiven
enter into the issue. Long obs
walton of human nature in its re
lions to the administration of
law has made it mighty plain to
that magnanimity nor sentiment
any kind has any business with
tice and the nearer we can appro
mate the Almighty's enforcement
His natural laws in this world
sooner we will truly civilize the
man ace and be able to get the !
possible out of life. The people v
make up mobs to trample the |;
of the State under foot and vial
the common decencies of life,
well, have none of the fine lines
thoroughbreds or near theron
breds to be reached by magranfn
or forbearance. They mistake
for a concession to their right
power and are distinctly encoura
to repeat their offence. The G
A. rooah e,,ob fallau-c \,