The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-09-14
THE VACANT
JUOGESH|P
The Still Hunt for Geo.
Gear.
THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG
The Put Up Job to Prevent a
Popular Choice for
Circuit Judge.
(From Wednesdays Daily)


There is general Indignation among
lawyers who are not pledged in ad-
vance to support ring nominations at
the attempt of Judges Humphreys and
Silliman to steal a march on the bar
and the public in the matter of sue
cessor to Silliman. Acting purely in
the interests of the ring, with which he
has been coquetting from the start,
Silliman resigned on the quiet and
Joined Judge Humphreys in the recon-
mendation of George d. Gear. Hum
phreys owes Gear for going to Wash
ington and working. through the late
Senator Gear of Iowa, to get the Ari-
zonan judgeship and he also wants to
atone for the attack made on Gear by
the Republican in connection with the
ownership of Iwilei boarding houses"
So he put up the job to railroad Gear
into judgeship-for which no lawyer
could be less ftted-and Me Too Sill
man of course voted aye. The people,
for reasons which are self-evident,
were given no inkling of the resignation
until it. with the accompanying letter
recommending Gear. was either at
The Star interviewed Humphreys,
Silliman and Gear yesterday as fol-
lows. The interviews show clearly
enough. between the lines, what the
ring scheme Is:
Judge A. S. Humphreys was seen this
morning and asked If it was fact that
Judge Silliman had resigned some days
ago in place of yesterday. He replied;
,s,1.r
the office of Second District Judge reach
ed Washington touay, and 1t Is six days
before the next mail. That is all l have
70 say"
Judge Silliman says: MY resignation
was dropped in the post office week ago
today, just before l left for Hilo."
George d. Gear says: MY name went
to Washington endorsed by prominent at
torneys of Honolulu, in addition to the
Judges of the Circuit Court
Following the interview the Star made
this appropriate comment:
It Is a matter of surprise that either
Judge Humphreys or Judge Silliman
should have lent themselves to what must
DO looked upon as snap judgment in the
matter of n successor to Judge Siliman.
Judge Humphreys says without equivo-
cation that he sent his endorsement of
a successor to Judge Silliman smultane-
ously or practically so, with the sending
of the resignation LAT made success
sor necessary, and practically two weeks
before any other recommendation or ap-
p!ication could be made. Judge Sillimnn
lent himself to the scheme by Withholding
the fact of his resignation so that the
two weeks advantage could be given to
particular candidate. The question Is not
of the worth or fitness of the candidate
endorsed. 1t is the manner of the whole
scheme. Judge Slliman has no more in
terest in having an able man on the
bench than the rest of the community has.
Their zeal In this matter must therefore
be taken as the result of personal in
terest. There is no reason why they
should not have n preference in the mat
ter But the ordinary spirit of fair play
would prevent them taking advantage of
their judicial positions to further their
personal preferences in public matter
as against the whole community. In par
ty politics such clandestine advantage
might not so strongly provoke protest,
but this is not a matter of party politics,
unless Judge Humphreys is striving to
create a personal party. 1t Is certainly
not in consonance with public ideas of
judicial demeanor And Judge Hum
phreys himself, at the Republican con-
vention In May last, publicly rebuked
Judge Smith OF Hilo for appearing In "A
party convention. But here he is prac-
ticing doubtful political methods from
the bench, and able to apply them because
ne is on the bench. Doubtful political
Methods. is said advisedly, because when
Senator Clark of Montana secretly sent
his resignation to the lieutenant governor
Of his state for the express purpose of
forestaling the appointment of his sue
cessor. his action was all but universally
reprobated. But where Is the difference
between the action of Senator Clark and
that of Judges Silliman and Humphreys?
except that Clark was engaged in pure
" political game. openly fighting open
enemies. while the judges are covertly
taking advantage of their judicial posi-
ton as against a community not aware
that they are engaged in political schem-
ing.