The Coconino sun., 1924-04-25
WHERE THE TROUBLE LIES

In three and half months after the commits
sion Of a fiendiSh crime which has shocked the
whole state, Ward, the murderer, was convicted
bv a Jury in ten minutes and his hanging was rec
commended. That may seem to us reasonably
prompt action. 1t was-for America Almost
anywhere else the matter would have been dis
posed of much earlier and the bones of the MUIR
derer would have been "a-smouldering IN the
grave
But this is not necessarily the end of the Ward
case There is motion for new trial pendlng.
Perhaps it is only formal motion and may not
be pressed. But it can be. At any rate, we may
assume that it would be promptly denied and the
iurys recommendation would be translated into
a Judgment by the court. But that would not
necessarily be the end of the case IN the courts.
If the friends of Ward have the money, they can
procure an appeal to the supreme court 1t may
be found that in the excitement OF the trial some
right of the defendant was unobserved, though
if it had been preserved to him the verdict would
have been the same. In that event the case would
be remanded But, anyhow, the case might not
be heard for months, when the judgment might
be affirmed. So at the earliest, we suppose year
after the crime, it would be punished. And that
would be rather prompt action under our proceo-
ure.
We are ashamed before the world for the prev
aence of mob action in this country such as there
is nowhere in the world. We have societies en-
gagged in trying to discourage it. Tons OF anti
lynch law literature are turned out every year. IL
is inveighed against from the pulpit and the lee
turers platform. The whole process seems to be
one of remonstrance against the tendency OF the
people to take the law into their own hands IN GER
tain cases. Thus the so-called better element
washes it's hands of the whole matter and lynch
ing goes merrily on. No attempt is made to get
at the bottom of it, the way in which our laws are
administered the lay mind in such way as
not only to afford his criminal every chance to
escape but to create chances for him.
The fault does not lie with few weak or cor
rupt courts and few fool juries; it lies IN our
whole system. 1t is rooted in our laws and rules
of procedure. There is created in the American
people in even so-called law-abiding people, dis
respect for all laws and courts. We habitually
curse legislation, both state and national. we
often hear citizens wish that they might be al
lowed to assemble for limited period only once
in ten years. Some go farther and wish that
they might never assemble and all laws might be
abolished.
A very large number of people do not trust the
courts any more. In many places they have pro-
vided for the recall of judges. There is move
ment on foot now to put the highest court In the
land under the control of congress and this IN
directly under the control of the rabble.
very large part of the citizens OF the United
States are now engaged in the violation OF the
constitution itself. Probably more than half the
citizens are engaged in or are in sympathy with
this violation. We do not respect the constitution
sany longer because we have gradually grown
away from respect for all laws
The fault lies not SO much in the inherent cuss-
edness of the people as in our system OF the ad-
ministration of justice-Arizona Republican.