The Topeka state journal., 1897-08-10
AN ABLE HAND
At the Tossing Off of Sarcastic
Sword Points
Is Governor Leedy When He
Turns Attention to 1t.
A SHARP FUSILLADE
Aimed at Judge John Williams
at ManitOu.
Said TO Be Busy Catching Trout
and Writing Opinions.

Gov. Leedy pays his respects to Judge
Williams in the following interview
which was given out at the executive
office:
The press dispatches from CoIora-
do quote Judge Williams as follows:
1 issued that order in the discharge
OF my duty as judge because 1 believe
that under the laws of Kansas this
company is entitled to transact it's
business in that state as long as it is
shown to be in a solvent condition. This
Is the principal requisite for securing
license under the state laws. If the
state authorities oppose my order, the
matter will get into the federal courts
for settlement
THE corporation lawyers said Mr.
Leedy, have been industriously hunt
ing all summer for the above alleged
law, and will be delighted with the
reinforcement which has been sudden
ly brought them by the man from Ar
kansas The Kansas bar and Judge
Foster have failed to discover any
such Kansas statute, and Judge Fos-
ter has persistently declined to issue
such mandate. District Judge Will
Jams was appointed by Judge Caldwell
to assist Judge Foster (who is in fail
ing health) when needed. The insur-
ance lawyers have taken advantage of
this fact to obtain by indirectiOn this
order from a judge who is less consci-
entious and more pliable and servile
to the interest of corporations than
Judge Foster. 1t would have been just
as easy to have gone to Minnesota be-
fore Judge Foster as to have gone to
Manitou before Judge Williams: The
manner in which the order is issued
shows that this Judge Williams is as
lacking in the knowledge of good man
ners and official etiquette as he is ig-
norant of law With one sweep or his
pen he has nullifed the criminal code
of Kansas, without giving the slightest
notice to any representative of the
state that he intended to discuss the
subject.
He has done this outside of the dis
trict to which he belonged and outside
of the district in which he pretended to
act. He has issued this decree without
any request from Judge Foster, when
every instinct of courtesy should have
told him to say to the insurance law
yers: Judge Foster is just as acces-
sible as / am. Go to him; he is your
Judge Williams has issued this inn
perial ukase from the mountains of
Colorado, where he is spending an idle
summer catching trout with the am
bassador of the corporation for whom
he acts. In the course of time L pre-
sumo he will expect to date his de-
crees from London and Paris and Ber-
lin.
stPrevious to Judge Williams advent
on the scene, it has been held by all
courts that the statute of state shall
bear the construction put upon 1t by It's
own supreme court, unless 1T should be
in violation of the constitution, but, as
Judge Williams did not trouble himself
to come into the confines OF the state
to make his order, nor give any notice
to the attorney general of his intention
to do SOFT is apparent that little thing
like the statutes of a state or the rul-
ings of the supreme court of the United
States, will not hamper his infallibility
in the discharge of the functions of his
will.
eff the federal judge desires to nullify
the statutes of state, he should at
least get on the bench and perform his
acts in the public eye, and not sneak
off to the recesses of the moutains; if
he desires to nullify the laws of state,
he should at least serve notice upon it's
officials and give them an opportunity
to be heard.
''I notice that heS has rushed into
print with an unofficial interview de-
Tending his course. I believe that this
is the first time in history that a fed
eral Judge has found it necessary to do
this If Judge Williams will hold court
in a court room and try only those
whom he has summoned before him, he
wouldn't find it necessary to rush into
the newspapers and defend himself"