The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-01-27
JURY SYSTEM FAILING.


these piping days, there is some com
ment or citation Of the inefficiency
of our jury system. Miscarriage Of
justice appears to be so frequent that
respect for our courts is fast disap-
pearing.
1t is refreshing to find that lead
ing judges are now presenting meas
ures for reform. Conservatives even
of the type of Justice Taft are lead
ing the way to bring about the effic-
iency of our courts, and to speed UP
their procedure. Heretofore there has
been too much complacency in our
courts and federation of a Chinese
system that prefers all action back to
the past, says the Garfield Enter
prise
Judges are beginning to seek more
power in the trial of cases. They
have been limited all too much They
are supposed to sit even in Grim
inal case in an impartial way, fav-
oring neither side, while the case is
tried solely on the evidence that the
attorneys present. The position of the
judge, as we take it, ought not to
be so thoroughly impartial. He
should seek that justice be done,
sometimes we expect notwithstand-
ing the attorneys. The aim of the
courts should be to punish the guilty.
The offender should be justly pun
ished, and the judge should have ev-
cry power to bring this about.
The present jury system is a blot
on the escutcheon of the courts. An
intelligent man is not wanted as a
juror, and taking present day find
ings as a criterion, he is not secured.
If man reads the newspaper he is
excused from jury service In our
day man who does not read the
classed as intelligent. Demanding a
unanimous verdict of twelve men is
another impossible thing. 1t is idle
to expect it.
"a "a EA
1t wouldn't surprise us to- hear
some ardent democrat suggest that
the resolutions adopted by the Ma
tiona1 Wool Growers association, at
the convention in Spokane this week,
sounded like republican platform,
revamped to fit the occasion.
"a "a "a
1t is probable that the regents Of
the University of Washington should
have considered the matter of raising
President Suzzallo's salary to $4,000
further before taking action if they
had known what furore it would
create. The object of the board was
to make sure of keeping Suzzallo at
the head of the institution but the
action may defeat it's own ends. SUI
zallos usefulness will probably be
impaired by the controversy, or at
least his ire will be aroused, and it
would not be at all surprising if he
would tender his resignation. 1t is
evident, too, that the legislature will |
ask that the salary be reduced to
$12, 900 which, after all, isn't too bad. |
Suzzallo has worked onders at the |
head of the big Washington institu-
ton, and its unfortunate that sal
airy controversy has arisen which |
may interfere with his further use
fulness. Not infrequently, an appar-
emily innocent proposition, well :
spills the beans and causes
al kinds of trouble.
"a "a -
1t is evidently not going to be so
easy for criminals in the state of
idaho to secure a pardon in the future
is it has been at times in the past.
Governor Moore doesn't believe In
ocking man up for few months
lfter he is convicted of some atrocious
rhine, and then turning him loose
Ipon the public again. There are
rimes of sufficiently serious nature
0 justify keeping a man within the
rison gates for life time, and as
rule the men who commit the |
rimes are better off in prison than |
Inside. The world is better off with \
ne murderers and moral lepers under \
,ck H
~ "a pa h
An exchange remarks that some i
len are born to lead through CO. Il