The daily Nome industrial worker., 1917-03-01
THAT ORDINANCE.

When the editorial Ill !eSleruaS mornings issue was written, we ILL tie knew that there had been even then in preoaration an ordinance empowering the Mayor to pardon those accused CT convicted of Vio:a- tion of tEe city ordinances.
 Now ,le Industrial Worker does not at iii agree that such aG ofu' nance is without uses. It 1S hl5hiY desirable that some executive au- +borit.. should be in a position 10 DaroIe or pardon any person con yicted hastily or sentenced with undue severity. That is nothing but tbo adjustment of justice to the needs of possible cases which may arise. It 'presupposes a judlclai mlhu in the Mayor; it premises the eA- istence of a man in that office who will not use that power Tor the puf- nose of enabling one class to go Iree and another class to suffer puhlsh- ment to the limit But 1t IS oettei' we say II III all A''ii iiN""'
 men should be unjustly freed than thai one man should be unjustly ln- carcerated.
 If on the particular occasion ol inc massage of such an ordinance the cells in the fire house were un- occupied. or were occupied by one whose imprisonment was gross peryersion of justice, then, the 'h- dnstrial Worker would acclaim the nassage of the ordinance in ques- tion as worthy of the highest ap- proyal and one which spoke for pro sress in this community.
 If circumstances ever altered cases in themselves, certainly It IS in this instance. The occupant of the city cell was no object worthy of commiseration at all. Nor were sho circumstances under which the s.a,+euca had been imposed such as 10 justify any sort of clemency' ana the idea of the Mayor and Common Council of the Town of Nome, elect ed hv the men and women of this city. calling a special meeting lo pass an ordinance for the purpose of releasing one such as then occu- nied the city jail and who was sent enced thereto under such crcum- stances. is enough to disgust every ono of impartial mind.
 Is it any wonder the community demands to know why this specla clenlency? It is any wonder tha' the community spurns aside 'h' olea of economy as the impulse which fostered such disgraceiu frame-up? Doesn't the commuhlt! know that this case could have peer turned over to the federal author ;ties if it was too expensive tt handle and that this plea is tot fimsv to deceive any one?
 Doesn't every person know tha the only ones who are treated witt this clemency are those who are III volved in some restricted distrlc scandal and that the mild offender especially if he is penniless, seldom escapes scatheless"
 It is significant too. that in tn passage of this ordinance and unde the circumstances under which tha passage took place, not solitar councilman had the gall to speak Il support of that measure. There wa not reason given for its passag at that time; there was none to tax the floor to uphold that iniquitou proceedings. There wasn't a ma who voted in favor of the ordinance which was slap in the face everyone in this community, VII had courage enough to state why should be passed.
 Yet, as the Industrial Worker in timated yesterday. there are man things which would stand explana tion. And first of all it is to b explained why it is that those em broiled in restricted district dis turbances are the subject of specia favors that apparently are to b denied the rest. Moreover. we sa it positively, that before any perso can hope to be elected in this com munity again to office, who too part in this unsayory proceeding they will most certainly have to an swer why it was done.
 Three members of the Counc