Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-09-20
brass tacks it is the petit jury that is

brass tacks it is the petit jury that is
to blame"
Doubtless all that Judge Rice said
concerning petit juries is true in
some sections of the state. But it
should be borne in mind that merely
returning verdicts of "guilty" by ju-
ries will not of itself deter the GRIM
inal. Unless the presiding Judges
suit the punishment to the crime, So
ciety is not protected through convic-
ton. That which tends to stay the
uplifted hand of the murderer is the
punishment meted out by the courts.
Judge Rice said, Gail the judges can
do is to give a fair trial" But after
the trial is ended what? It is the
Judge alone who fixes the penalty.
Judge Rice is quoted as saying
that from 70 to 80 per cent of the
homicides that have come under his
observation are traceable to liquor
in some form; yet how few judges
seem to take hold Of this serious sit
uation with a determination to i'm
prove conditions by imposing chain
gang sentences without an alterna-
tive of fine? Juries convict blind
tigers more frequently than former
ly, but do the sentences of the court
cause them to fear falling into the
meshes of the law? Blind-tigers laugh
at fines.
Judge Rice very properly classes
pistol toting as one of the primary
factors of crime, and yet how few
men caught with pistol on their
person are punished. frequently in
dictments for "assault and battery
with intent to kill and carrying con-
cealed weapon" appear on the
criminal dockets of the several coun-
ties in the state land yet is it not
generally the case that when the ac-
cused is convicted of assault the
charge of carrying concealed weap-
on is thrown out, ignored or only
small fine imposed?
Presiding judges, as well as. petit
juries, have an important part in
suppressing crime in South Carolina,
and especially in driving out pistols
and whiskey, two things which con-
duce more than any other to the TAX
ing of human life.
Women a Helpful Factor.
When the 10th amendment became
the law of the land some old moss
backs predicted that the country
would soon go to the bow-wows when
women began to vote. The recent
campaign and primary elections have
proven to the contrary. Instead of
making conditions worse, women have
shown that they are already help
full factor.
THE cities report that the recent
primary elections were the most or
derly that have been held in many
years and the presence of the two
women who aspired to a state Office
added dignity and refinement to the
campaign meetings.
1t is generally conceded too that
the coming of women into public life
marks the going out of demagogue-
ry. AS rule, women are more con-
scientious than men in the discharge
of public duty and for that reason
an unworthy aspirant for office is
not likely to receive many votes of
the intelligent women.
Another thing, some predicted that
women would vote as their husbands
do. This we believe is not the case.
While great number of women will
vote as their husbands do, just as
some men will vote as their wives re-
quest, yet the vast majority of wo-
men will cast their own ballot, with
out confering with or being infiu-
enced by their husbands. The preju-
dice against women voting which was
so manifest two years ago is already
disappearing to a large degree. The
two women who were candidates for
state Office received a highly credit.
able vote. A woman was elected SUI:
perintendent of education in Laurens
county. A woman was reelected
judge of probate in Greenville coun-