Show HUMAN understanding we wish to use our column this week to comment on certain phases of the long trial of the two navajos cavajos as told in this paper in previous fous issues in the stories we wrote concerning court proceedings we reported the daily hap edings without any attempt to inject personal comment although we naturally formed an opinion and determined what our decision would be had we been one of the jury to cast vote at the close of the trial I 1 Tto trouble uble is lifes challenge to the human soul it is a challenge to all a man has in him of strength and coura courage ge intelligence and self control says C R bryan the auth author or of a fine article we read recently we saw all of these characteristics displayed on the part of the two unfortunate men who were accused of a murder committed some twelve years ago we were also witness to what might be termed a lack of sympathetic human understanding on the part of the jurymen juryman jury men for we believe the opportunity was given to bring in a verdict of acquittal instead of the one presented to the court after four hours of deliberation we admit the evidence of guilt but circumstances which i surrounded the case as told in the account of the trial andl and the testimony of the defendants might well have been I 1 taken into consideration the time when the murder occurred the manner in which it was brought to light as result of an arrest of one of the defendants which rose oUti out of a protest of the navajo indians when grazing rights were interfered with and the alleged inhuman treatment on the part of government agents in making arrests might also have been considered in all fairness to the accused men we are not forgetting that the state laws must be up i held and that the counsel for the state had a duty to perform and did it well as servants of the law but we cannot overlook the injustices perpetrated and the seemingly unfair laws which take away the rights of a people who have lived in certain locations in this southwest country for f or centuries of time I 1 because a race of people may be considered inferior as was suggested during the trial is it not more in keeping with the teaching of the christ to help rather than to hinder the progress of such people As we review the testimony given and consider the conditions surrounding the case from all angles it tends to arouse a feeling of regret that the opportunity to show mercy to offset the injustices of the past was overlooked we heard the pleas of the counsel for the defense we also heard the instruction of the judge to the jury outlining the fine points of law which gave opportunity to bring in a verdict of acquittal which was apparently overlooked we cannot but wonder if the circumstances were reversed and some of our white men were brought to trial for trying to defend their properties and protect their rights un uni i der similar conditions as were related during the ten day trial how they would react to a verdict of second degree murder would we not gain the respect and gratitude of the navajo indians by showing tolerance and mercy merck at at this uis U is time on the other hand may not the feeling of resentment on the part of the relatives and friends of the convicted men be increased as result of the injustices of past weeks and months since their arrest have they not suffered enough through ten months of imprisonment and the uncertainties which surrounded them during that time thereby learning lessons which will stand them in good stead in the future we heard the questions put to jack crank and john chief preceding the passing of sentence on friday morning part of which is told in this issue and the answers given by the defendants which proved that they are not unlike many of us who are engaged in making a living for those whom we love we shall ever remember the kindliness of the judge and the manner in which he pronounced the sen sentence he was obliged to speak we shall ever remember some of the remarks of the counsel for the defense which we know came from the depths of their being as they spoke in behalf of their clients these indians were more than clients to these attorneys they were brothers in distress and because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the case do we offer opinion and give expression to our feeling of love and tolerance for a group of people and forthe accused men in particular at this time we are happy that they were permitted to return to their own folks for a while and we know that they will not fail to appear when the date for another trial is set with a hope for their future and success as a race of american born people we look forward to some readjustments in regard to governmental rulings in their behalf let us not forget that a so called inferior people may have an intelligence equal to our own and above all let us not forget that jesus always forgave a repentant man or woman did he not also teach tolerance and pity for those who offend we believe that a little more of the milk of human kindness at this time will go far toward ithe the correction of the faulty manner of living our dark skinned neighbors are accused of now or in the past |