Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-25
GRANELY FINDS THEM GUILTY
AND THEN BUSINESSES THEM

IN SlA cases under the ten hour law,
in which the evidence of guilt was
admitted to bc true by the defendants.
the court gravcly found them guilty.
but dismissed them without any pun
ishmcnt.
I'm q number Of cases under the
sanitary law, brought the same day
IN which the defendants entered the
plea Of guilty and the prosecu;i ion Of
fered its evidence OF guilty. the court
found them no, suilty-a finding
which might be termed ultra wires. as
the mldest expression possible.
Judges have been known, in fire
escape cases. TO decide that buildings
OF four or five stories were only three
stories high, and that. therefore, the
cases were '"ithout the statute
Another. justice OF the peace.
when labor case was before him and
fully proved. has been known TO
gravely declare that law unconstitu-
tional. but without Illuminating the
pages of legal lore by indicating the
section of the Constitution which was
violated. or the great principles of
judicial Interpretation upon which his
opinion was founded
These instances might be multiplied
and many queer and ingenious devices
might be distorted. by which the pre-
siding Ccniuses of courts find loop
holes of escape for tho guilty But no
words can convey, no cold facts mar
rated can bring TO the hearers mind
The evident hostility OF some courts to
the agents OF the law. to the policy OF
tho law, and to the law itself
PROSECUTOR REGARDED
WITH SNEEHING ENMITY
"onc fnust he present in the court
room and breathe the atmosphere sur
charged with the indefaablc shirt of
cnmi,y, to properly understand One
must sec the sneering looks. ,hc air
OF naughty Indignation. sometimes the
expression Of panied surprise. with
which the prosecutor is regarded
Courts arc Instituted TO afford jus
,icc to individuals and to the State.
under tho law. Thcy are the organs
through whose agency the abstract
principles of law arc made OF concrete
benefit To tho community. The per-
sons holding them arc carefully
selected and arc bound by solemn
oaihs TO uphold tho law. The law for
them is n fact existent. with the crea-
ton of which they have nothing to do
They must take it as they find it, or
stroycd. and persons seeking justice
arc in doubt whether tho court will
act under the law rs it is written. or
write new ono to specially TT tho case
III hand.
II yield 10 no man in my respect
for tho courts. For that institution
which keeps tho lamp Of truth burning
throughout tho centuries. | have not
only III" greatest respect, hut the most
profound vcneration. II is the palla-
dunn of our rights. and the shrine
should be kept pure and unprpfaned.
Rut the respect we have for the
judiciary should bc an intelligent and
discriminating ono. and should not eH-
tend to that member who, being pre-
scented with tho law and the evidence
looks over tho head OF the Legislature
and concludes that it had no business
TO make any such statute.
HAS BECOME 4 PALE
AND CHASTITY CORPSE
The effect of this hostility of some
OF tho persons who hold court is that
convictions arc impracticablc in their
hailiwicks: that abuses aimed at by
the Legislature so merrily on and law
breakers so unwhipt of justice. And