USA > Indiana > Lake County > The First Hundred Years (1938) > Part 29
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Most everybody knows about the Kirkland case at Gary. It was so beastly and devilish that it was known all over the civilized world. He could not get justice in Lake county. (Was it justire he wanted?) So a change to Valparaiso was taken. They had a terrible time getting a jury. Of course they would, for anyone that knew anything and could read, had some opinion on the case. But they finally found twelve men who knew so lit- tle, according to reports at the time, that they did not know what kind of a report they were making to the court, and that is the way we get our justice in this country. It costs a lot of money but is not worth much, and it seems to me we are a long- suffering lot of D. F.'s to stand for it longer.
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I have been sued twice for slander. Neither time was there any expectation of getting judgment for damages, but the pow- ers that be in the public privilege class and unscrupulous lawyers use the courts to browbeat a citizen if he objects to graft and corruption. That is done all over the United States. Bill Thomp- son, ex-mayor of Chicago, used that club when he was mayor to quiet any criticism made by citizens, but there were no con- victions. The courts surely should not be made a tool for dis- honest publie servants and grafters, and something should be done about it.
We have been working for a change of court procedure, for swifter justice and less expense for some years. The Farm Bu- reau has been advocating it for three years. Martin J. Smith, former judge of Crown Point, was so interested along this line that he wrote a bill which, if it had become a law, would have remedied the matter. But it was introduced, went to a commit- tee of lawyers, and there it died for want of support.
Donald R. Richberg, President Roosevelt's right-hand bow- er, studied law and tried to practice, but was disgusted with the workings. He expressed himself in this forceful language, and if he never says another good thing, I will always respect him for having the courage to tell a needed truth. Here it is, clipped from the Literary Digest :
"The law as a philosophical study is very interesting. The law as a system of workable rules of human conduct is a project worthy of the highest endeavor. But the modern practice of law, which calls principally for mental ingenuity to help a client do anything he wants to do, seemed to me intellectually one of the most degrading occupations in the category of respectable em- ployment. I began to believe that the super-lawyer should have the brains of a Machiavelli, the hide of a walrus and no moral convictions. Moreover, I found much litigation useless and un- necessary, involving tremendous expense not only upon litigants but also upon the government. We talk a lot about cutting down our governmental expense. But nothing is done to free our courts from useless litigation or if anything is attempted the lawyers band together and declare that we are endeavoring to deprive the people of their liberties."
Attorney General Homer S. Cummings has called a four-day meeting in Washington in the interest of suppressing crime. Monday evening President Roosevelt talked and told some mighty truths. He says the public is not sufficiently aroused : "I want the backing of every man, every woman and every adolescent child in' every state in the United States and every county of every state." To sum it all up and make it short amounts to
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this: We, the people of this country, have got to demand law en- forcement and swift justice and our present machinery must be speeded up to get results.
December, 1934
TO MERRITT D. METZ
To be sure, we all like to be appreciated, and your commenda- tion is surely gratifying. But in reading it, I felt like the wom- an at a funeral who had lost her husband. During the preacher's talk, when he was giving this late husband a very high recom- mend, the widow got up and went and looked in the coffin to as- sure herself it was her husband. She thought the preacher must have had another subject.
Now, Mr. Metz, if you so appreciate my feeble efforts in try- ing to lay before the public some simple facts and statements in regard to public affairs, it seems to me it is not very compli- mentary to the larger papers published in the community. It does seem that the editorial writers so often are talking about things in the distance that will hurt no one's feelings rather than vital questions close up that are of great importance to our local community. Mr. Glenn Frank, president of the University of Wisconsin, says in a late book :
"To put politics on a fact basis may well play havoc with the traditions and tactics of our parties, but if the choice must be made, intelligence must fight for the party of facts rather than the facts of the party."
If anyone can say anything or do anything to help us out of this public morass, they surely should let their lights shine. Quoting from Mr. Frank again : "And I dislike to think of the damning indictment our grandchildren will feel when the fruits of our folly forces them to remember us."
May the good Lord have mercy upon us !
LAW AND CRIME
We, my dear "Highlander," whoever you are, we wish you would come out in the open so we would know who we are ad- dressing. Yes, we believe in law and order and if our courts would do their duty we would not have to resort to shooting on the spot. They had plenty of time to put Dillinger away ac- cording to law, but they turned him loose instead, and that is the way they are doing with most of the desperadoes. The of- ficers have caught them time and again and turned them over to the courts, but they know the source of their business, so they reserve them for future use. I would never join a mob to pun-
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ish some poor criminal as long as we have so many court houses and courts at great expense which are supposed to do that busi- ness, but sometimes we feel like joining a mob to tear down the court houses, and after we had done away with that expense the mob could take care of the criminal.
In the wild and woolly days of the West, where they did not have expensive court houses, high paid judges and criminal law- yers, the vigilantes did a good job with neatness and despatch. And we are willing to risk our reputation by saying that they were surer to mete out justice than our courts are today.
This crime parley that had a four-day session in Washington supports us in shooting to kill before the criminal can draw the bead on the officer as the most effective means of ridding the country of the bad actors who have so frequently got the drop on our law enforcement officers. Four in number were killed under J. Edgar Hoover, director of the division of investigation of the department of justice. The proper thing to do is to kill the criminal and save the lives of the good people. This crime parley went pretty thoroughly into the matter, but they were slow, as we believe, in putting the blame where it belongs, and that with the courts. But in a couple of instances they rubbed it into them somewhat. Ferdinand Pecora of the senate investiga- ting committee said: "Revamp the criminal law. Revise the archaic criminal law and court procedure." He was opposed to the constitutional provision against self-incrimination and unan- imous jury verdicts. The general committee reported its belief that the time is ripe for the improvement of criminal procedure. To this end, the committee urged a study of the model criminal code prepared by the American Bar Association.
We believe it should have been prepared by someone else, as in the past the lawyers have been very slow in making any radical changes in court procedure; and any honest, well in- formed lawyer will tell you if there is going to be any great change in court procedure the influence will have to come out- side of the law profession. The time is now ripe, especially here in Indiana, if the people will show their interest with the next legislature. The chances are good to get the right kind of a bill through.
SCHOOLS SHOULD TEACH CITIZENSHIP
You know we have raised the question whether or not it would be better to give a more thorough knowledge of the science of government so as to make capable voting citizens in the edu- cation of our children in the public schools. When at Indianap- olis a month ago, we called on Floyd I. McMurray, state super-
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intendent of public instruction, and told him what we had in mind, and we found him much interested and enthusiastic on the subject. He said: "We are now planning and working along those lines." Thinking he might have some printed matter on the subject, we wrote him a short time ago, and we were very happy to get this reply, which we feel the public will be interest- ed in :
"I was pleased to receive your letter of December 7 in which you referred to our conversation in this office at the time of the Farm Bureau meeting.
"I am glad to inform you that at the present time a commit- tee is working upon a revision of our social studies course of study which will deal with the whole problem of citizenship. While the committee is at liberty to work in its own way, they have taken very kindly to my suggestion that citizenship be made a fundamental subject in our school curriculum and that it be introduced early in the elementary grades and be carried throughout the entire elementary and high school program.
"When this revision is finally completed, I shall remember you with a copy for your information."
December, 1934
LAKE COUNTY FAIR
I believe it was Bret Harte who said: "For the ways that are dark and the tricks that are vain none beat the heathen Chinese." But that was before the gentlemen from the manufacturing dis- trict of Lake county, Indiana, got interested in agriculture. These gentlemen seem to be possessed with a burning desire to educate the farmer in "the ways that are dark and the tricks that are vain" by getting possession of the offices of the Lake County Agricultural Society so that they can run the Lake County Fair.
Two years ago this same interested group got possession and held a fair. They called it a Democratic fair. We have been interested in the Lake County Fair for lo these many years and we always supposed it was an agricultural fair. But the fair they held two years ago was, we think, surely a Democratic fair, for there was more hell going on there than was promoted for the benefit of agriculture, in the way of gambling, fortune-telling, lewd women, etc. And the beer selling was in direct violation of the constitution and by-laws. It was a product of the Democratic party and, of course, they wanted to educate the rural population to drink beer so as to help raise the revenue.
But the revenue at the fair fell very far short, to the tune (as we recollect) of about $6,000. The Democratic officers asked
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the county commissioners and the county council to pay it out of the public funds. To the credit of the old county council, it would not honor the bill. But the new county council has paid the premiums amounting to $3,000, but we understand they did not pay for the beer.
The first statement of the constitution and by-laws that gov- ern the Lake County Fair is: "The Lake County Agricultural Society is organized for the promotion and encouragement of agriculture." What object these fellows have, coming down from the north and wanting to run our agricultural society, is beyond me. Some years ago I read a magazine article illustrated by pic- tures where it showed the gamblers and bums of Chicago con- niving to get possession of the county fair so that they could ply their trade on the rural hayseeds.
From the way this bunch from the north managed the fair two years ago and from the appearance of part of the crowd at the annual fair meeting last Saturday, you could easily imagine that their interests were in something besides agriculture. The great industrial growth and the resulting great increase in popu- lation in the north end of the county is what gives that end the control. There is a director elected from each township and one from each incorporated town in the county, The large number of incorporated towns in the north section gives them a majority of the directors who are not interested in agriculture and are interested in something else. That is what we are now getting, and it is not a benefit to the county but a detriment.
The farmers were at Saturday's meeting and put up a good fight, exhausting all the parliamentary rules known in the book, and booing the rulings of President Ginther who would not recognize the farmers or ruled against them whenever it suited his purpose best. Our coming senator, editor of a Democratic paper and district chairman of the Democratic party had one more honor thrust upon him at the meeting Saturday-he is now president of the Lake County Agricultural Society. Now we ex- pect that great things will be done for agriculture. If Roosevelt knew the capacity of this young man he surely would draft him to head the brain trust in the interests of agriculture. If he proves his worth in running our Lake County Fair, his fame will reach Washington and no doubt he will be called.
The farmers still have the whip hand if they will use it. They cannot run an agricultural fair without agricultural pro- ducts such as pumpkins and squash, potatoes, beets, turnips, hay, corn, oats and barley, pigs and cows, horses and mules, and be- sides the men and women and boys and girls of the farm, and we are sure that no self-respecting farmer would have anything to
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do with an agricultural fair run by a majority from the Calu- met industrial region.
-S. B. W.
THE PEOPLE'S FORUM
Calumet Weekly News,
Griffith, Indiana.
Mr. Sam Woods recently penned some observations on courts, lawyers, and crime. He scourges courts and lawyers rather se- verely. There is a great deal of reason in what he says. It might surprise many to know a large number of the legal profession would agree. If this is so, then why isn't something done about it?
The answer goes far deeper than the appearance of things. Interested persons will find much light on the answer in the January American Magazine. It is probable that the legal pro- fession as a whole has never given such earnest thought to the problem as it is now doing.
The question goes further than the lawyer and the court. It goes to the question of creating a better class of citizen. It may be like so many things in life that have to get worse before they can get better.
It should be remembered that there are good men in the pur- pit all over this country, but they have not been able to make moral precepts a rule of conduct lived up to by their listeners.
Similarly there are problems confronting the medical pro- fession which are far from frankly met. As an instance, the law forbids a physician giving information on birth control. Does the reader know a reputable physician who will talk on it? What is the result? Bootleg information from quacks and outlaws, the quality of which, like bootleg liquor, is dangerous. Does it stop? Will people cease seeking this information because they cannot get it legitimately? They will, just about as much as they cease buying bootleg liquor. The medical profession is only in part to blame.
I claim as much for the lawyer. He is in a position where his desires for betterment if they are to succeed, will do so only by much better public understanding of the problem and the law- yer's relation to it than now exists. Right here it seems to me that the efforts of such citizens as Mr. Woods are very helpful in focusing attention upon this question. I hope that he and other like-minded citizens will continue to force public discus- sion, for only in that direction lies the road to betterment.
-Merritt M. Metz.
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THE MARRIAGE MILL AGAIN
There is another very interesting chapter added to the history of the marriage mill at Crown Point. "Spot" Kemp did not succeed in getting re-elected as justice of the peace at the last election, and his power as justice ended on January 1. He has worked up a beautiful marriage business and he did not wish to see that taken over by the incoming justice, so he has organized a church association and he is to be the minister of this church. We have not learned just what you have to subscribe to to be a member of this church, but it will probably be conducted under the rules of the New Deal with an alphabetical collection, as R. S. K. M. P., which should read : Rev. "Spot" Kemp, Marry- ing Parson. Of course it will add dignity and poise to the cere- mony and, no doubt, for a small additional sum he would offer up a fervent prayer for the continued happiness of the couple.
PEQUETT GOES FREE
Pequett, the lawyer that defended and harbored John Dil- linger, was tried in Chicago last week for harboring Dillinger and was found not guilty by the jury. That proves the saying is true that there will not be an honest horse race until there is an honest human race.
In our opinion, that Pequett was a more dangerous citizen than Dillinger. These criminal lawyers have done more to en- courage young men to enter the criminal profession than any other one cause. When Dillinger was in the Crown Point jail Pequett came down there and ordered the court what to do (as we remember it), and they did it. Pequett's demanding that Dillinger be allowed visitors was probably the cause of his get- ting out.
This verdict shows that the ordinary citizen thinks a lawyer can do most anything and get away with it.
WHICH IS BEST?
We were born in a log house just twenty-two years after the early settlers settled Lake county. We had tallow candles but no electric lights; we had a fireplace but no furnace in the base- ment; double beds and trundle beds, but no twin beds. We walked to scool through mud and snow, but did not ride in a warm bus. We played 2 Old Cat in the snow or went skating on the marsh, but did not have a warm gym to play basketball in. We drank out of a pail of water with a dipper that was thick with bread crumbs from the mouths of other children, but did not have a fountain to drink from. We rode old Fan to Ross for the mail at the time of the Civil war. But we did not have a
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mail carrier bring our mail to the front door every day. Going to Crown Point with a team and wagon and getting home again was a day's job-now we can do it in one hour. We used to drive cattle from here to Chicago and there was hardly a town, and now it is all towns. Chicago was a small town then, and now it is a big one. It used to take fifteen yards of calico to make a woman a dress, and now she can make four out of that amount of cloth. Then a man would work a long day for $1.00 and do the hardest kind of work, now he wants $1.50 per hour and not much work at that. Then a young man would work hard for $15.00 per month and save two-thirds of it and in time buy a team and plow and finally buy a farm where he had a life's job; now he invests in an auto and gasoline and sometimes he is out of a job. We used to think honesty, frugality and thrift were the proper functions ; now it is pay for it while you are using it, and be sure that you do not lay up for the future, for the government will take care of that. We used to think that the people had to sup- port the government; now we think the government must sup- port the people. Families used to live together at home; now they are seldom together-part of them at least are on the road or at the movie. Then most people lived on a farm; now a lot of people are going back to the farm because they have been starved out in the cities.
We used to go to bed with the chickens because we had no other place to go; now people go home and go to bed when every other place in town is closed. We used to tan the son with a slipper; now the nudist gets a tan behind a high fence in the open where it does not require so much exercise. We used to have saloons where they sold beer, pickled pig feet and pretzels, and turned out drunkards; now we have taverns that do the same thing. Of course we have so much trouble now-we have to drown it in drink, and when we drink enough "happy days are here again." We used to think that he that made two blades of grass grow where one formerly grew was a public benefactor; now he that makes a half blade of grass grow where one former- ly grew and gets two prices for it is a dandy. We used to get butter from cow's milk; now we get it out of most anything- from bull tallow to soybeans. But if you want to raise real American citizens feed them the product from the American Hol- stein cow. It has been proved it is good to raise rats on as well as the human family.
We used to work from twelve to fifteen hours a day and about half of that on Sunday, and now they work six hours a day and a five-day week, except the farmer and he is fool enough to keep up the old time. Yes, the world does move, and it is general-
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ly thought that a man that has lived for the last fifty or seventy- five years in these United States of America has seen more pro- gress (that is not saying whether it is forward or backward) than any one ever saw before in a lifetime. But we will admit we would not want to go back to tallow candles, cutting hay and grain with the scythe and cradle, driving over mud roads with a lumber wagon, or seeing the women wearing those big, flowing dresses, hoops and bustles. On the whole, it might be better and it might be worse. But with W. P. Schilling in "We Dam- phool Farmers" we will believe in the United States of America.
FAITH
In spite of the Leaders who fail to lead, In spite of Bribery, Graft and Greed, In spite of the men who, day by day, Pile on the taxes we have to pay, I still believe in the U. S. A.
In spite of the note with interest due, In spite of an Income cut in two, In spite of the Bond that fails to pay,
In spite of the dividend gone astray, I still believe in the U. S. A.
In spite of the Gang and the Racketeer- Hell-fire whiskey and weak-kneed beer, In spite of the lawyer that knows the way, To serve the crooks by the Law's delay, I still believe in the U. S. A.
In spite of the Banks and Foreign Loans, Frozen as hard as the Arctic zone, In spite of the cotton we hold today, In spite of the wheat we've stored away, I still believe in the U. S. A.
In spite of the Hell we're passing through There's still a fight in me and you- It may be hard, but we'll find a way, It's bound to help if you grin and say- "I still believe in the U. S. A."
WHAT'S TO BE DONE ABOUT IT?
Yesterday I was visiting a family in one of our manufactur- ing towns where one of the daughters is teaching in the public school. It is in the district where most of the population are for-
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eigners and negroes. Most of them are on charity or kept at public expense. Some of the children in this school are bright and make good scholars, but the greater part of them are not bright and intelligent and are not capable. It is very hard to get them interested and to teach them much. They are children that do not get much at home because the parents' standard of intelli- gence is low. They also tell me that the public offices are filled by a lot of corrupt politicians who are sure to be elected for if they do not get enough votes they stuff the ballot boxes to the extent that they are sure to have a majority. There is the situa- tion in this "Land of the free and the home of the brave." Our great manufacturing interests have invited the whole world and his wife to come here and work in the shops when they can use them and when they can't use them throw them out on the pub- lie to feed. They are ignorant and do not appreciate the re- sponsibilities of American citizenship and the corrupt politician can always control their vote and we have here no qualifications for a voter, so this ignorant, irresponsible class are the control- ling element and then we blame our form of government for the results, when if we had shown a little sense in the past we would have had qualification for a voter which would have cut out those ignorant, irresponsible voters. It looks here that the saying that "We have given away so much liberty we have none left" is true. These people we visited have a remedy for crime. Every big criminal as killers and kidnappers should be speedily hung or electrocuted. The lesser criminals should be sterilized. In both cases it would stop their breeding which in time would produce a better class of citizens, which we have got to have in this United States of America if we expect to have a good, honest govern- ment. You go to the international stock show at Chicago and see the results of intelligent breeding with our farm animals. We only allow the best to reproduce, while in the human family the inferior specimens produce the most. In time of war our best young manhood are taken to the front to be shot and the scrubs left home for breeders. What can we expect of the human fam- ily under this condition of things. We had better go back to the early times where it was the survival of the fittest.
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