Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-04-21
TWO WITH ONE ROCK
Judge BurIingame Is = Pretty
Shrewd Politician.
CAPTURED THE NEWSPAPERS
The Eagle and Dcnsocsas Properly
TAkep Care NJ BY the Judge of the
ssp~ros Court.

Judge Dufilngane siIoin'eu Imam
Leckie clerk 81 the superior court.
simultaneously With the announce
ment 81 that appointment the Grand
Rapids Eagle solemnly announced that
Il had changed it, mind oil the question
u aboiishlng the superior court. Its
ante election statements were made eS-
parte twhateyer that may mean and IL
had no correct conception al the utility
Il the court Ii remained silent for "A
considerable time. presumably because
IL Was unwilling Ia lend its feeble aid
Ia THE HERALD in the effort IL reduce
unnecessary taxation.
But without any premonitory symp-
tons ~ an intent Ia change front II
burst forth on the evening Mr.. Leckie
Was appointed clerk with this startling
confession:
The earlier arguments advanced in favor
OF abolition were somewhat ex rarte. and.as
The Eagle IL now convinced. are more than
countert aianccd by the considerations which
call fot the retention OF the court.
These "couterbalancing considcra-
tions" will be briefly outlined in a sub
joined paragraph. To make il perfectly
about by sense ~ high moral convic-
ton il adds:
The Eagle shares in the general view 81
Judge BIriingame'- purpose to do "a near
right a. he knows how: ami his know
how" u serving this community very well
indeed.
The William I.eckie appointed 10y
Judge Burlingame IL the husband II
the grand daughter VI the owner 81 The
Eagle He came here from Detroit two
wears ago and subsequently married
| Mrs. Mary Bedell. divorced wife 81
Harry Bedell. with whom no now lives
in a house on Henry street occupied 10y
"A son Of the owner of The Eagle and
owned by him.
From this il will he seen that the
"countcrhalancing considerations are
not 50 remote from the office ~ The
Eagle that il will be difficult To trate
their origin. Then. too. the judges
amiabls way ito do As near right a he
knows" is very aptly suggestive 81 the
compliment that his know how il rerv
ING this community" but more particu-
/ larlv the relatives ~ The Eagles ven
cradle owner. These "counterbalancing
! considerations" are certainly weighty
! enough to inspire grandparent with
| the loftiest respect for one that provides
SO handsomely Tor his grandchild.
/ Judge Burlingamc cvinced very clear
estimate al the value 81 his appoint
ment. for no politician in America would
have more adroitly cast in the scales
these potent 'conntcrbalancing consid-
erations." y
But The Eagles owners grandson
will have the office only for one year.
Fred J. Adams. a reporter for The
Democrat. will be his successor. The
judge appointed both 81 these young
men IN the one office al the same time.
Such an appointment is clearly within
the established precedent. 1t la never
followed bv politicians who succeed to
office. Single minded, unimpeachahly
honest judges always appoint twoclerks.
especially when tho favor az newspapers
il not 10 he conciliated.
The fact that Mr. Adams was 90 be
appointed was generally known as early
as Monday night. Tuesday morning
The Democrat. for which he is n brill
liant reporter. opened its broadsides in
favor 81 the court. Everybody noticed
and remarked the unusual force and en-
thusiasm ~ The Democrats editorial
columns. II fairly shrieked itself hoarss
| III dtteUsf III int fDuIt Just az t''i ar
Mr.. Adams appointment was settled.
II had never word TO say while the
appointment was in doubt. Despite
the fact that Mr.. Adams appointment
will not take effect for year.
The Democrat put the report
under big head and scaled its APP
proyal 81 the judges disinterested char
ity by a pretty editorial notice de
ciaring that Mr. Adams had just closed
years contract with The Democrat
and could not accept until the term had
expired. The Democrat was very
sagacious in closing a contract with Mr..
Adams Ia date from the day 81 his ap
pointment as clerk 81 the superior
court. Mr.. Adams IL n first class re
porter. and The Democrat is Ia be con
graduated in thus defeating Judge Bur
lngame's purpose tn take him away and
into the superior court.
The general public must judge be
tween The Eagle. The Democrat and
The HERALD in this court controversy.
The motives ~ the two first named
papers are certainly subject 10 scrutiny.
for by the fnessc ~ a shrcwd politician
both are obligated la lend him their un-
RENTING support. THE HrRALD is
alone in this battle 1t can neither be
coaxed. dissusded nor cajoled into a de
sertion Il what IL believes 10 he right.
although it's three daily contemporaries
Z ~. k.-,.t..l a.. l.F.at - .l,.r.