Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-01-12
.lAbEs7 DAILY CITY CIRCULATION,
HILL AND BRYANT.

The caption of this article does not refer to the picturesque and familiar figure of Senator David E Hill, of New York, or the wild and woody coyote from the prairies of Nebraska, ex- Congressman William Jennings Bryan-as one might at first be led to think
 It has reference to Jos. M. Hill and Judge Edgar E. Bryant of Sebastian county, Ark.
 Hill and Bryant are much dis cussed personages over in the "State of Sebastian just now, and the indications are that the hills and valleys, towns and townships Of that county will be stirred in the early summer as they were never stirred before. The cause of this unusual disturbance in the ordinarily quiet and undisturbed precincts of "old Sebastian sweet and sylvan Se- bastian-is due to the fact that each } of the gentlemen named is ambitious to sit as Chief Justice upon the Supreme Bench of the State; and as Sebastian can't come before the Democratic State Convention with two candidates for the same position, the question of Sebastian's favorite for the position must be determined by the popular vote of that county.
 The determination of this question will excite the interest of the public, and thus again it can be truly said that all eyes are on Sebastian. But it ought to be an easy question to settle If Sebastian is to present a name for Chief Justice, that name should be Edgar E. Bryant's. His name is known throughout the length and breadth of the State as an able lawyer and jurist, pro- found student of the law and classics, and as a brilliant and eloquent ora. tor Already on two public occa- sions has he acquired 8 National reputation because of bis eloquence, and on one occasion he was tn re- cipient Of the distinguished eornpi- ment of being called the second Henry Grady by the Chicago Tri6- aae Mr. Bryant is now serv- 1. ing his second term as Circuit Judge of the judicial district in which Sc .bastian county is located, and during his term of office (so we have been uniformed by able lawyers of Fort Smith) he has evinced eminent legal aud judicial talents and attain ments and shown himself the peer in legal ability of any lawyer practicing be- fore the Fort Smith bar.
 Mir. Hill, the other aspirant, we are told, is very able young lawyer, but it is unknown to the State ex- cept as the author of Sandels & Hills Digest of the Statutes of Ar kansas which has made his name familiar at least to the lawyers of this State. But he is without ex- perience and new and untried in the judicial field, and his abilities and qualities in that line are yet to be tested A lean from the private walks of life without judicial experi- enee to the Chief Justiceship of the Supreme Court of the State is rather a long jump, and requires quite a sweep of the imagination to conceive it. However great may be Mir. Hills abilities as a judge, the people of Arkansas, outside of Sebastian county, will be slow to believe that one without previous judicial train ing and experience is deserving of so great promotion as to be placed at once at the head of the Supreme Court. Such procedure is therefore out of the ordinary, f not un 2rece dented in this State.
 The contest in Sebastian county resolves itself down to this: With Judge Bryant as ts candidate Sebas- tian county stands d good chance to win, because of his known fitness for