Daily Kennebec journal., 1921-11-26
Saturday, November 26, 1921.
THE LIGHT HASN'T GONE OUT

4
There is no better test Of the ex-
cellence of government than the ef-
ficiency of it's judicial system, Tor
nothing more nearly touches the well
fare and security of the average citi-
zen than his sense that he can rely
on the certain and prompt admins
tration Of justice. Law holds the
community together. Law is re-
spected and supported when it is
trusted as the shield of innocence
and the impartial guardian of every
private civil right. Law sets for all
a moral standard, which helps to
maintain a like standard in the heart
of each Individual. But if the law
be dishonesty administered. the salt
has lost it's savor; if it be weakly or
fitfully enforced. the guarantees OF
order fail, for it is more by the GER
tainty than by the severity of punish
ment that offences are repressed.
II the lamp of justice goes out in
darkness, how great is that darkness.
From Modern Democracies, Bryce.
The lamp Is still burning. The
sentences to Jail of few offenders
criminals more dangerous than those
who would hold one up in the. street
and go through his pockets-offcnd
ers so high placed that they con-
sp1red to compel people to pay all
that might be asked or go without
roof to cover their heads, confirms
that conclusion. And one Of the
most pleasing features Of the case is
that they apparently have left to
them no opportunity to get clear on
technicalities. An unpleasant fea-
ture is that more of the offenders
were not given prison sentence. Ger
tain allowance probably should be
made where criminals plead guilty.
Some discretion should be left to a
judge, the corollary of which is that
the utmost care should be exercised
in making judges.
Judge Van Vleet seems to be quail
fed. though perhaps there is no oc-
cason to laud him for what he has
done. 1t is true that the trust law
has been regarded as somewhat du-
bious, that under it one might not be
sure whether he was abiding by or
breaking it. Nevertheless all the ev-.
idence surrounding the cxtortons ex-
posed by the Lockwood committee in
New York, assisted by the courage
and skill of Mr.. Untemyer, showed
such absolute disregard of law, of de-
cency and humanity as to leave no
question of guilt. Those who rob
banks take risks. There is nothing
to show that these rascals supposed
for an instant they were. One in
stinctively accords more tolerant
regard for the lawbreakcr who risks
his liberty and perhaps his life than
he possibly can do in the case of
those who rob the weak and help
less, who would add, by extortion, to
the burden of those struggling for
living. Such villiany is contempti-
BILE in the sight of right-thinking
people. Possibly the time may come
when right thinking people will fully
realize that the most mcracing
crimes against the law, and the civil
lization depending on it for founda-
ton are the unjust application or
disregard of it. The foundations are
being undermined. One influential
criminal suffering his just deserts is
nightly impressive and accomplish
es more for law and order than the
conviction OF many Of the weak ones.
Is there to be inferred from these
sentences in the trial of the tile trust
any assurance of like justice applied
to like offenders, of which there are
many? We are all capable of appre-
ciating the truth of what Bryce saws
respecting the value of certainty of
punishment, much greater than that
Of severity. Rarely is there good
ground for complaint of severity in
this country, but the complaint of
uncertainty is quite general. 1t does
not seem too much to say that the
uncertainty by which thousands of
criminals have profited has been one
Of the greatest Inspirations of crime.
The decision in this conspiracy case
Is very welcome indication that we
are waking up to this fact. Are we
TO stay awake?
Macric NIalann.. ~