The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-23
POLLY OF THE JONES.


HIS Attack ON the Supreme Court Re-
buked by Ex-Kepresentative Clark.
Rockford Enterprise
'stafe conventions may make attorney gen.
erals, but they can't make lawyers"
By referring to our sdie OF the Posr-INrELII-
GxxcER for 1890 We find that Clark. OF Spokane,
the present editor of the Eaferprise made the
above remark to the house Of representatives Of
the FIRST state Legislature OF Warrington The
occasion was the Offering of Q resolution In the
house asking the attorney general 20 deliver an
opinion on riparian rights during the discus
siou OF the famous tide land measure Mr. Jones
had made himself unseemly fresh In trying to
shape legislation upon that subject We do not
pretend TO know whether the attorney general
10 - light - . feather or weighs tom when
placed In the legal balance We have always
thought him bright young man. very smooth,
but little fresh.
The recent decision of the supreme court. BY
an undivided bench, sustaining the coustitu.
tionality OF the land commission act passed at
the last Legislature, aud by . writ OF mandate to
approve bonds OF the commissioners appointed
by Gov. McGraw. trims the feathers of this Jones
man considerably. The frivolous pretext upon
which he restsd his action In claiming that the
law was Unconstitutional was of course his hon.
est opinion, but 1t certainly did not reflect
much credit upon his professional knowledge.
Those who read the public journals about the
time the last legislature adjourned will reunsm-
Der that Gov. McGsaw accused Mr. Jones OF at.
tempting to interfere with legislation on the
harbor line bill Tho Enterprise man knews
that Mr. Jones went out OF his way and absurdiy
outside OF his duties ~ attorney general to
shape legislation upon the tide land question in
the hrst Legislature. We have always thought
At that time his patriotism and xsai carried too
far. The fact IL. few spokane politi Clans have.
ever since the converting of tho constitutional
= ms fhA
guardians Of the state sinterests In everything
connected with the harbor lines and tide lands
The tde-land crazy Reriew has been their organ,
ana some OF that papers editorials upon this
latter subject would make clam laugh.
In recent issue OF that fea1fuliy and
strangely edited Journal, somebody, probably
it, Quixotlc editor, "gocs for the supreme
court In real Reriess style II calls the late de-
cisi0n OF tina. august body ''pernicious de-
cision," and the best reason it can give for its
being "pernscious' Is because 1t completely aud
numerically trims Mr.. Jones down. The ed!-
tor OF that funny paper seems broken-hearted
over the treatment Jones has received at the
hands OF the supreme court. l: seems the Re
tiew don't care much what hRppsns to the
state. or how much constitutional limitations
or legal constructions are outraged IL Jones 70
left standing on hts legal pins.
IL Is indeed true that the supreme court
turned Mr.. Jones down with such a vigorous
Mop that IL must have hurt his bump Of ego
tism considerably. But yet the sood-looking at
tosnay general 10 possessed OF 90 much OF that
faculty that he'll come up standing again, and
probably run for congress His political s.as.
ttcity II only exceeded BY his ambition and per
fec; confidence In Jones.
One quotation from the learned judges decis-
ion will suffice to convince anybody but Jones
and the RerielC. that tho attorney generals posi-.
ton In this matter is both wrorg and ridiculous:
IN IN kotA s~sth 81
tension lset up by Jones) IL would lead to such
results a. 10 almost justify revolution on the
part OF the pecpe." These are tie words OF
sucn men as Audcrs. Dunbar, Hoyt, stiles and
scott These learned and distinguished tur,yts
constitute the supreme bench OF the state OF
Washington. How IL must hurt them to know
that Durham OF tho Rerier says their dsc:sious
are pernIcsous