A Law Not Needed

Sinoe the lst of Oetober ihcre have been no less than seven murders in Michigan, and almost Innumerable murderous assaults. What Mich gan needs is a high-strung-flrst-classhanging-law.- -Cedar Springs ('Upper. Tn Illinois thcy have that kind of law referred to by our coutemporary, the Clipper, but as we read the Illinois papers, it is owr finn oonvlction that tliey have more murders and more murik'roiis assaults according to tlie populatión, in Illinois, than in Miclrgain. The samo le fcrue ol New York. The saine is true of every Southern state. And the ame is true ,-iKo of nearly every state tliat lias capital piin'slmn-nt. It is not the fear of being hung that will prevent i man fi-om cominitting tJie crime of murder whan there is murder in his heart. Tlien again, if a man is innocent, and toas been hung, the law has committed a terrible wrong that cannot ]h' rigiitcd. If he isconfined in pi-ils011 thi' stnic can in a mcasure r.ght tlie wrong'. It -n-ül not, at leasl, have the siain of innocent blood on its hands. No. Capital piin'siinu'iit is not. the remedy. A rig'd enforcement of the law, and the abolislimcnt or ignoring by judges and courts, ol petty tecJunlcal.tles ln-ouglit (orth by j sharp lawycrs, to save their cl'ents, ; will go fai-tlier toward the suppression (jf crime than anything else. We have the pressdent's word for it we have nothLng to gain In the Oriënt, but it would bc just as well to be sure we have nothing to lose before trusting tin' matter wholly to the present secretary of state. If there is any trutb in the old say injr "Tlie early binl catchea the worm." James O'Donnell, of Jackson, will be the next governor of Michigan. He is a candidato eveu now and don't deny it. - Jonesville Independent. Sometimes the early worm gets caught, you know. The Chicago Record kicks on writing it "Xmas." The Record lias no right to kiek. As all algebraists know, "X" stands for an uuknown quautity. In "Xmas" it stands for "Christ." And Christ is an unknown quantity in Chicago- or else Editor Stead is very much in error. The two amendments to the constitution of the state voted on Nov. 6th, were carried by large maiorities. The one allowing the soldier's resident in the Soldier's Home to vote there by about 100, 000 majority, and the one requinng foreigners to complete their eitizenship. by about 80,000 majority. We are sorry tliat Mr. Cleveland failed to teil Jiow it happened. He niakes not the slightest reference to the recent democratie disaster. Doubtless lie considered it none of nis funeral. inasimich as he remained silemt durJng tlie entiire campa ign. Nevertheless he could at least have commiserated with his party. For the first time in history Alaska is to be represented by law-makera at Washington city. The territorial convention held Jnne 2 unanimously selected Thomas S. Nowell, a prominent niining man, as delégate, with instructions to secure, if possible, the saine laws for Alaska as are now in force in Oregon, together with high license and locai option measures. The next house cannot, indeed, amend the present tariff, but it can, through its committees, investígate the blight which has fallen on the country's business and put before the world reporta which will be of inestimalilr velue as off.clal aggregations of facts too deplorable to be forgoti. -n and too universal to pe-rmit any denial. Our eonsumption of sugar last year was 4,343,209,500 pounds, which at an average price of 2% cents per pound, would be worth $119438,261. Anadvalorem tariff of 40 per cent upon this amounl would be $47,775,304. A differential duty of one-eight cent upon 4,343,2051,5(10 pounds would be $5,429,012, making a total breakfast table tax of $53,204,361. That is the way democracy "slapped the sugar trust in the face."- Lansing Republican. AVhile holidiiy premiums are being offred the public by varlou newspapers, bhe.Ccmrler has taken the the price of tlu-se premiums off oí its subm iipt:on price, a,nd glves its reader the benefit thereof. Two daily papers for the price of one, and the wi'ckly Oourier and the x. Y. Tribune for T.'i cents, for both papers , for ome yèar, is eometh!ng almost un1 '■' ■ 1 "i 'm tae way ofchcap subecrlp08. niese ratee are only oMered tn .l.i.nnaiy l.st, ".).", Ko-it will le weH to advantage ol tbem now. . The plot to steal the governorship of Tennessee, which has been attempted by certain democratie officials in that state, met with an unexpected set-back by the refusal of the chairman of the democratie executive committee to become a party to sach a disgraceful transaction. JEvery honest partisan will applaud the following manly words froiiihim: ''The democracy of Tennessee can aflbrd to be defeated, but it cannot afford to be dishonest; it can afford to lose a dozen elections, but it caunot afford to steal even one."