The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-10-31
HAPPY ARIZONA.

The "clean sweep" that the President
made on the Federal bench OF Arizona
the other day was an act that should
win for Mr.. Cleveland the everlasting
gratitude of our southern neighbors.
We know comparatively little of the
two late Associate Justices, except that
they seem to have been the mere tools
and echoes of the Chief Justice, with
whom all Utah is SO well acquainted. II
Judge Sumner Howard is able to dis
tinguish between right and wrong, he
= has learned something since he was
United States District Attorney of
Utah. 1t is one of the sad and unfOr-
tunate features of the system Of filling
the Federal Offices in the Territories
that men of Towards instincts, capa-
city and ideas of rectitude and morality
can and do so often get into these Of
fees, to the annoyance and distress of
the people and the disgrace of the gov
eminent. 1t is wrongly charged to
politics. Sumner Howard possessed
nothing and had done nothing emitting
him to the District-Attorneyship of this
Territory or the Chief Justiceship of
Arizona, even if we go so far as to admit
that the Offices in the Territories belong
to men in the States. He did not even
enjoy the confidence and esteem of his
own toWnsmen, and though chronic
bidder for elective Office at home, was
almost every time rejected by the voters
who knew him. He did. however, serve
politicians, who rewarded him at the
expense of the people of Utah; he
wasn't deemed worthy of Office at home,
but was thought good enough for an i'm
portant position here. True or false, he
has the credit of making the most of the
opportunities presented by the Office;
certain it is, he managed to obtain full
pay for any service that he may have
rendered more important personages,
and retired from Utah, good deal be-
smirched in reputation, but with pockets
well filed. Returning to the scene of
his earlier defeats and disappointments,
he re-entered the lists as an Office
seeker, but the hands of those who
knew him were still raised against
him, and he once more turned his long
ing eyes in the direction of Utah, which
had proven so profitable field in which
TO exercise his greed. Thanks to the
united efforts of the local bar, the Ter
Iitory was spared the infection and
affection of Howard as Chief Justice.
But our Joy turned out to be Arizona's
sorrow, for Towards hold upon some
politician for whom he had perhaps
done some dirty work. was so powerful,
that while the protest of the local bar
kept the fellow out of Utah, it could not
hedge him out of all the Territories,
and Arizona got him. His course there
has been anything but that of learned
upright judge, bent only on the enforce
ment of the law and administration of
justice fairly and impartially. If his
removal shall not be followed by scan
1e@A7 oAA0 Vial VI OAA4CAai MAOuS
doing, We will admit that long practice
in crookedneSs has enabled him to sue
cessfully cover his tracks. Il is no
fault of politics that the Sumner How
ards get into sppointive offices;
it is the fault of the system
which allows politicians to use
the offices for rewarding their
tools and strikers. Left to themselves
the people could rarely be deceived and
blinded SO much as to put these cor
ruptionists and tricksters into official
positions.
But we congratulate Arizona on being
freed from its Chief Justice. and the
other Territories on the fact that they
need have no fear that Howard will be
saddled upon them. He has run his
race, and come to the end of his official
career.