Show t J 1 License to Loot I IT T records for the past four ye years rs f j jj in Utah indicate t that at little or no offense j It Ii attaches to the theft of the public funds The t t 1 record c rd r r reflects a friendly sympathy for this type tie of criminal which can only be interpreted interpreted inter inter- to x mean mean ean that the he p public funds are J ate loot for uns unscrupulous politicians S.- S. S.W. V. W. Ross stole more than from Th sta state e of Utah an and brazenly ac accepted responsibility responsibility re re- for his a acts ts In courts he w wa waS Sentenced nten ed to an indeterminate ferm term fern in in the he State te prison the the- tri trial j judge dge re recommending That lh the lie be confined for Tor a period of seven years years 5 And after rafter sentence was pronounced they gave him two months' months respite to adjust his personal affairs He finally entered prison jn Jh Ju June e 19 1923 3 He was ordered released on 1 ole the other day after serving eight and anU n months This means only one ones of two ro things either that the people of this state condone done cr crimes mes against th the th public purse or j these lese ese same ame people l are re being betrayed by the board bo-ard of pardons The rhe case of Ross is not an isolated example His is not the only one w liere cre public servants have been forgiven by byther ther other public servants e In the last three and rand one-half one years ears near- near ly lya score cor of thefts have been charged to public public pub pub- lic He officials in Salt Lake county alone Quite Ill of them h have ve been convicted convict d but butth the th state prison today does not number one ne neof of the tribe on its rolls roIls All that have been sent there have been released few of them paying a more severe penalty penal y than attaches to th the theman man who has committed a petty theft and h has s been sent serit to the county j jail en b Men lik like Ross Ross' betray public confidence steal the public money money and rand are released with little little inore more than th n a reprimand Men w who o pent their lives studying the law and the spirit spirit of justice which is sup- sup be its foundation step out of their judi judicial 1 1 s tc to extend considerations ns which ai are incompatible n ati Jle with law and o order d r justice and and ajia J land common sense thinking g. g As ilaw t and nd juri jurists t members of the highest Itou our the the state state these men would not and bl cast such an indignity indignity- before before th their ir r Wt profession And yet they assume to hoard board of pardons what they would fd c could not do in their judicial capacitieS capaci- capaci ti tieS s 's s jur jurists they would have to be inspired desire esir to s support pp rt and maint maintain in the prin- prin f equality and justice which are the essence of law and order IxU it i h any wonder that respect for for law is d decreasing cr sing from day to today day Can the laity b be expected to look up tip to the the law when those thos who vho have spent their lives in it can assume roles one in the courtroom and another when fulfillment of justice justice- depends alon alone upon the still small voice of conscIence con ton conscience science e We Ve submit that there is no jus- jus the ticen the record of the Ross case Its Its con con- is not justified by any form of reason reasoning reasoning reasoning reason reason- ing and rid nd the fact that it it is legal only only casts furth further furtner stigma on the law Injustice then is the only conclusion to be be reached and it comes come from men who at tini times tinie represent nt the highest law law of the state But the board of pardons alone is not re responsible responsible re- re sp n for the apparent lack of punishment atten attending ing the sixteen or seventeen cases where officials have been charged with taking liberties liberties liber liber- ties Ues with the public funds A case or twO is stillS still pending on appeal directing attention to another evil in the present system delay A few fe escaped in the courts the evidence failing to substantiate the charges But a good number numbe have gone to prison but only for a short shor time tille They all were prematurely release re re- re- re leased lease either by the voluntary action of the board 1 or at the earnest behest of misguided I friends who used their influence in their behalf And tl this is is the example we have I set before I Iother other public officials working for moderate I salaries es and entrusted with gr great at sums sums' of I money Is it any wonder onder that me men go wrong when they kno in advance that the official i poli policies ies constitute a natural protection for I Ith th them I |