Stockton writes tongue-in-cheek, or ironically, about the tyrannical king who establishes a system of "justice" based on pure chance. We learn of the king that
at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts.
We are told too that
The institution was a very popular one.
However, it is not clear if it is "popular" because people are terrified to offend this king or because they actually enjoy the spectacle of watching a person, always apparently a male, either being devoured by a ravenous tiger or meeting the beautiful maiden he will marry. We are told that the king enjoys crushing his opponents in order make the path of his will smooth and straight, which suggests people would be likely to go along with what he wants, in order to stay alive.
However, the text does suggest that people might enjoy the spectacle:
When the people gathered together on one of the great trial days, they never knew whether they were to witness a bloody slaughter or a hilarious wedding. This element of uncertainty lent an interest to the occasion which it could not otherwise have attained.
The narrator compares this justice system to the gladiator fights in arenas that were popular in the Roman era. Since human nature is human nature, it is probable that people did enjoy the spectacle, which, like a sporting event, has no predetermined outcomes.
Regardless of the enjoyment of the spectacle, however, we are not told how the people feel about this as a way of dispensing justice. Since only the ideas and will of the king matter, and since he seems oblivious to other people's feelings, it makes sense we wouldn't know.
The king's system of justice is unique in the short story "The Lady or the Tiger." The king has fashioned an extravagant arena where those accused of certain crimes have a chance to determine their fate by picking between two doors. Behind each door is either a beautiful woman or a fierce tiger. The accused person has no prior knowledge of what door to pick once they enter the arena and is either instantly rewarded or punished. Stockton writes that the king's system of "retribution or reward" is extremely popular throughout the kingdom. The citizens enjoy the thrilling show and the tense atmosphere that surrounds the fateful decision of the accused person. The masses have no idea of whether they will witness a bloody murder or a hilarious wedding, which adds to the excitement of the event.
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