Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-04-18


trary has repeatedly attempted To vindi
cate the Intelligent sentiment" 81 the
men taat signed the petitions.
The Drmocrat's Argument.
In yesterdays Democrat the following
editorial appeared as the nearest APP
preach u al argument IL has yet made:
Raasona BILE. sensible persons are pot In
haenced by rhetorical froth. The great ma
jority Of the residents If Grand Kapids are
reasonable, sensible persons. Ana the Wild,
irresponsible s,attrnenss and the Islander of
reputable citizens. published IN defense ot
the effort to abolish the superior court, will
have NO weight other than 10 confirm and
increase the very nearly unanimous sen,l-
nlent in favor of maintaining the Tribunal.
Thousands Of our most intelligent aud
honorable citizens have signed petitions to
the legislature in favor of continuing the
court. And their action il treated as that of
fools and knayes 10y the elements ~hich seek
to abolish the tribunal. For instance, 30
large a portion of the reading public as
comes in contact with the published state
ments of the advocates of the pending
measure sre treated 10 such statements as
these:
Tho petitions do not represent intelligent
sentiment
Tho yet tons In it, favor not the products
81 On tncous sentiment. but are the pro-
II 2 craft, cunning, deceit and downright
N:i.
1.le pe,itions which IL is asserted do not
represent Intelligent sentiment" are signed.
irrespective of politics. by many If the most
prominent. beet known and influential citi-
zens Of Grand Rapids. such men as the
Hon. Thomas ID. Gilbert. Mayor William j.
Stuart, tho Hon. Thomas j. O'Drien. John
Patton. Jr., Judge Grove and George Il.
Maaty ask that the court he retained rs IL Is.
The assertion that petitions signed 10y such
men do not represent intelligent senti\
ment," aud that such petitions are the Fro
ducts Of craft, cunning, deceit and down
right lying" is ridiculous to use no stronger
expression. Tho petitions are signed 10y
thousands OF the hest citizens. who know
what they want and Why. The few names
given. all tho-e of republicans, arc chosen at
random from among those who are classed
rs not represe nting the Intelligent senti.
ment' of the community.
Deliberately Falsific~.
Putting aside the manifest contortion
Of the plain meaning Of the quoted ex-
cerpts taken from the body ~ articles
appearing in TpE HERALD. The Demo
crat deliberately falsifles for the pur-
pose Of making it appear that THE Her
AID has cast reflections on the honesty
II the gentlemen named. When The
HERALD made use Of the words. The
petitions in its favor are not the pro
ducts 81 a spontaneous sentiment. but
are the products Of craft. cunning de-
ceit and downright lying" reference was
made To the contemptibly dishonest and
sneaking tactics al Charles IL. Bender
and other superior court attaches In
procuring the signatures.
Ii Isrnotoriously true that Bender
shell tears In praying that influential
men would sign Ia save him his job;
that he Ihisrepresented the character of
the court; exaggerated the volume 81 its
business and preyaricated and expostu-
lated "a secure names To the petitions
Tax HERALD reaffirms and reiterates
that the petitions are the products IL
all that ia base and contemplate in
skulldugg.ry politics; and that The
Democrat in falsely comforting the mean
ing Of the paragraph quoted is guilty o:
an act beneath the dignity IL manhood
and too unprofessional to merit the scorn
OF an honest man.
Intelligent Sentiment.
But The Democrat prceumes that tho
gentlemen whom il names an prominent
citizeus. republicans. knew what they
were about when they signed the petit.
iions. and therefore IL must be con-
cludcd they represent Intelligent senti-
ment" on this question. \ reporter was
detailed to call on these gentlemen and
the results are appended:
Thomas u. Gilbert / signed tho
petition because I considered the court
necessary tribunal.
What do you know about the COURT"
asked the reporter.
II don't know anything personally"
continued Mr.. Gilbert. Il have read the
discussion in the daily papers and have
seen statements that the present court
costs the city s30,coo annually. but
don't take much stock in what | sec IN
the newspapers
With no disrespect for Mr.. Gilbert il
must be said that be could not fairly IT,
claimed T. represent Intelligent seuii-
ment" He doesn't know anything
about the court personally. He docsn (
take any stock in what he secs in the
newspapers Vet he is a frequent CON
trtutnr Ia their columns. and IL n man
fairly veil posted IN general. " he
eioesn't know anything about the court.
Nho should
Mr. oBrien'- Opinion.
Thomas = D'Brien. concssledly ono q
tho best informed and most intelligent
lawyers in the city "a well a. In the
state. say=
r don't know much about tho superior
court | signed = peflf.0n opposing i's
abolition good while ago largely be
cause I saw a Epsi many names ou ID
sfes.sesff
v0rihT q credit. AMI thea. without has
log gwen the subject any particular
thought. Judged that w~ should have
= city oouft for street oJrn "a csass snd
CITY criminal husiuf~s | bail nu idea
then however. That the superior court
xas "a expensive "a IL ~ think we
might ~ icspt have cheaI~f osnri We
Pr a. che grns Al rsuri tnsiness j. cun
csrred I have no Doubt oar ctregii
courts could b al che business
Most anYf--iv vili eoncsrie that 'htu
opinion - n.uch mesc eatiletl e. eeiebt
thar a r~tition s,sne'i So ihe wsaaef
sud uadsf tho circumstance t.trrt
Ws,os ~sass,'. fss,ssss.
May Stuart When I .agaed INC -
tf.os h~iiev1.t the sstfssv'-if e,urt satl
ss~~~sfsr ! Az nea quite - s'tss a
II asss Bat u ihs srsfi = g. - afsf
,shssi ssia.eftias fl-e asast - Institute
- take as pissa ~ e s.ii. hssrvrs
ia, tba street afsnisg heaaHe~a a ikH
sur~ftcr frSsft e.aai8 snrsiY 10 tssan
fsf fssi - The siss. al s.,afts
That Mays hsssst sas ehanssi hsr,