The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-01
The Prosecuting Attorneyship.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
By far the most important officer to be
elected this year for Marion county is the
prosecuting attorney. 1t is always inn
portant, but never before so important as
now, hence only first-class lawyer. above
all suspicion of fear, favor or affection
should be chosen. Ii need not be that an
old established lawyer whose patient in
dustry and acknowledged ability have
brought into his hands a class of cases
which demand years of preparatory study
and experience should be selected for this
Office. for there many younger men
whose future in the profession is already
foreshadowed who would take the Office
and put into it talent and requirements
and industry much above the average
if called to it, but they will not seek the
office at the expense of self-respect and
professional dignity. The present incum-
bent has done fairly well, and the con-
sensus Of the party has crystallized about
the purpose of renominating him. notwith-
standing his blunder in refusing to accept
the preferred assistance of an older at
torney in the street railroad investigation.
when his hands were already more than
full with the everyday cases. which. are
enough to tax the strength ef older men.
At late hour he had begun to tackle the
we'll known violations of the liquor law,
when the murder OF a man vas so clearly
traced to the illegal traffic: and later.
since both the licensed saloons from one
motive, and the Anti-saloon League from
another, have been active he has dis
PLAYED commendable zeal in indicting drug
gsts and others for selling without license.
all of which was pointing him out as his
logical successor because he has both the
| unrelinquished street-car imbroglio and the
liquor law violators well in hand. When
word comes that he has not only been
elbowed off the track by those who run
things, but his successor has been named
with such authority that only the formal
approval of the convention is necessary
TO ratify the deed.
Now, / am no great admirer or Mr. Pugh.
personally professionally. i think We
might have done much better two years
ago except for that pernicious sentiment
that the Office Is a good place TO at once
reward party services and give boost
to a coming lawyer. instead Of calling TO
IL such ability and integrity as should be
sought in judge of an important court.
Yet, IL seems TO me that IL Is no time
TO change prosecuting attorneys. Mr..
Lincolns homely saw about swapping
horses in the middle OF the stream Is very
applicable here. We are not through With
| the street-railway case by long way.
and we are only beginning the enforcement
4 OF law through the criminal tOuTls See
| ing that the machinery OF the city govern
| ment rs in the hands Of law violasers. as
| was shown in the late investigation. and
| this elbowing OF Mr.. Pugh from the track
| and the authoritative selection OF a sue
| cessor by the managers OF the party, Will.
| in spite of fate, be so construed as a con-
| cession 10 the railroad interests and the
violators Of the laws that at least thou
sand voters Of whom / am one, viii feel
| bound by no moral or political obligations
| TO ratify the contract. While L would
| rather vote for Mr.. Pugh than any other
man available under existing conditions
| If for no other reason than because he
| has the street-railway matter well in hand
| and because he has begun the right thing
| as 10 law violations that the city authori-
| ties afraid 10 tackle. l hope the prim-
| aries will see 10 IL that any other man
| than the one chosen by the MANAGEMENT
/ is nominated by the convention II NAV
/ be too late TO command the services OF
some coming Elan or Duncan or Brown.
| but we cannot afford to have any Office
| dealt out by contract-we cannot allow
any junto TO elbow one man of and TO
put another on in advance OF the action
| OF the convention. L.. l.. SEE.
| indianapolis. Feb. 2S