Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-09-14
LEGAL LORE.
The Quality Of it Possessed by
Democratic Candidate, the SUBJ
ject of Discussion.
Items Of Local Interest Receive
the Attention of the Journal
News -Gatherers.
Concerning Law and Lawyers.

After several days reflection On the
subject the editor Of the Courier has
decided TO endorse the opinion OF
"JohI Fairfield, acting county attor-
ney," ~ to the two mooted points in
the registration law, the opinion be-
ing, first, that voter could not legally
register between the first and fifteenth
of August, Of this Year, and second,
that voter otherwise qualified could
not vote at his home precinct If he
had taken a registration certificate
from thence. Notwithstanding that
two such eminent authorities as the
late attorney general Of the territory
and the editor of the YELLOWSTONE
JOURNAL have he'd differently on
both points, the editor of the Courier
stands by John Fairfield, acting
county attorney" and assures US that
Mr.. Fairfield willing TO stand by
his opinion on these points aud that
"he does II with all the confidence of
q learned man, confident of his learn
ing.n Considering The fact that the
editor of the Courier and the "acting
county attorney are one aud the same
person, the endorsement Of one by the
other was to have been expected, but
scarcely the eulogy above quoted.
The Courier falsely sssumss that we
construed the law as we did because
different construction had been made
by "Sobn Fairfield, acting county at
torney," and that he, being q candi-
date for Office on the democratic tick-
ct, our view Of the matter was biased
by political prejudice. To effectuslly
refute this statement we have only to
refer the skeptical to the DAILY Jour-
NAL Of Aug. 29th, In which We pub
lished an article headed Important
to Voters" In regard to the certificate
matter, and on Sept. 3rd. the matter
o. registration between the LIST and 18th
of August was treated Of. Both Of
these articles were published before
the opinion Of John Fairfield, acting
county Attorney" was promulgated.
In each of them our opinion was OPP
pCssd TO the opinion subsequently,
rendered by him; and from neither
have We in any way recedei. This
should show clearly that in re-
affirming our opinion, as We took oc-
casion to do few days ago, we were
not taking the matter up as a politi.
cal club against a candidate who had
been 20 unfortunate or snort sighted
Is to get on record in error. While
our only thought at the time Of pub
fishing the later article was to extri-
cate the voters from the confusion the
opinion referred TO was liable to
cause them. we see now that the gen.
tleman who rendered IL and who Is
the candidate of the democratic party
for the Office Of county attorney is
placed in,-well, to say the least-an
position. His nomina-
tion presupposes knowledge Of the
law, while his opinion knocks that
into smithereens. 1t is
potent to everybody that his constitu-
ents are not being governed by his
opinion on either OF the points It covers
and as they are not, 1t follows that
they cannot consistently vote for him
for county attorney. IL Is a fact
worthy ol mention that with the ex-
ception Of "JohR Fairfield. acting
county attorney" every lawyer ia
town, except perhaps the deputy act
ing county attorney, concurs In the
opinion published by the JOURNAL.