Show TIE FUT > 01 I TIE STfc TEH TiiEsulject of either abolishing or reforming the system of trial bj jury I being widely agitated ly many leading men The theme was lately discussed in the columns of the Xew York JJcnl and ixprcw which ell a case in illustration Some lime since In a criminal case Judge Horton of Chicago took the Chicg te examination of talesmen fora jury into his on n hands deciding decdlnJ upon the question of their competency regardless of the attorneys in the case Tie defendant being convicted in the trial which followed his attorneys Idea I Ide-a motion for a new trial on the ground that the Judge had cxcmled his powers In Interfering with the selection of the jury This motion was denied the cur holding that the defendant was guilty and that the jury ivas entirely competent In every respect In rendenng hi decision Judge Horton took occasion sion t say Are we not fast approaching ap-proaching if we have not already reached the pint when the trial by jury I itself being placed upon trial at the bar of public opinion I this be so it is because of the abuse nse of trial by jury and not because of any rrror In the princlplo urxm which the trial by jury i predicate predi-cate 1 < last sentence the Judge I struck tl ke note of tho situation I I not the principel of trial by jury that i at fault it I the innovations Inno-vations upon I tat cur the mischief mis-chief The jury system is in precisely cisely the same position a tho National Na-tional Constitution That sacred instrument defines the principles of free civil government as clearly a human power can give the expression ex-pression in language But when It requirements are Ignored t that extent I falls to perform becaue not permittee t do r It exalted function which I t preserve and protect tho rigliU of citizens and maintain their equality before the law When the principles j of Uie jury system are set aide for I the attainment of any purpose I Is folly t ascribe the direful results Inevitably following t the system Itself They a simply ruse by inroads upon It Consequently no system however perfeet Is prfet I proof against a lack of honor and morality in the people csp cjally tho governing govern-ing classes In Utah there are virtually only a few shreds of a Jury system remaining maining its prIncIple having been notoriously ignored But this is no I fault of the method it has mto h merely been almost wholly banished from local jurisprudence Atc that I the way we Tiew It |