Show 4 OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM As AN EXCELLENT opportunity Is now being presented for judging 9 of the condition of the judicial system of the united states before proceeding to the inquiry it would be well to remember that the only ob ejects of any system of judiciary are presumed to be the enforcement of justice and the prevention and pun ashment of crime and that when any other alms aims than these are sought to be accomplished by the i machinery connected with the k courts corruption exists in a vital region li the cronin case affords the op port unity we refer to A study of ile it is a very instructive octive inquiry into r existing phases of american life I 1 and civilization for months the press has teemed with matter y ing to this thi case and the public won der why it is not pushed to a finish why hae not dot the accused been tried long ago why is every step taken characterized by such a cold molasses rate of speed certain men long in custody stand charged en with murder why to Is not either their guilt or innocence established with reasonable expedition because many objects besides the vindication of law and justice are being sought in connection with this case and the pursuit of these purposes has led many ol of the men entrusted with authority in connection with it to constitute themselves committees on how not to do it associated socia soc ted with this trial Is a labyrinth of conflicting interests ward politicians have ends to gain attorneys seek to make fame and money there 1 are jealousies among the police there is intense newspaper rivalry there are irish plots and plotters involved national politics politico are tolerably certain to be affected one way or the other by the manner of procedure guilty conspirators are striving to save their own necks and their unsuspected backers to prevent a knowledge of their connection with the murder from being divulged are fighting hard in be A tS fard half of the suspects delay ser serves ves the purposes of all these interests an intricate mass of wickedness is embraced in this case cage bribery jobbery perjury and conspiracy surmounted by damnable murder are the parts of a superstructure of crime which american justice is nominally struggling to overthrow but there is little hope that the blind goddess will achieve more than a small degree of success ne lacks the potency to shake off the meshes that have been thrown over her and she is not able to hold out the wales scales with a firm and strong grasp in one hand baud nor to wield the sword vigorously with the other the plots and counterplots counter plots the intrigues and conspiracies by which she is surrounded are too much for her and fettered as she is it cau cao scarcely be expected that she will do her work thoroughly the procedure in this case shows too truly the condition to which our judicial system has retrograded it proves that the machinery of the courts may be and is manipulated to secure the ends sought by individuals and that the course of justice which should be swift straight and unerring is made slow devi devious and uncertain the existence of bunh a condition plainly proven must soon destroy the confidence of the people in the courts and when this is gone one of the main preventives ven tives of anarchy will ue be removed |