The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-28
ROSES ANSWER.
He Gives Interview in Reply to Tint
of Judge Gambler.

of Judge Gambler.
Macon, Sept 27.-Hon. John P. Ross,
being asked if he had anything to say
with reference to Judge John Gamblers
interview, giving reasons why he
should not resign the judgeship of the
Stone Mountain circuit, pending his So
licitation of the votes of the people for
the Supreme Court judgeship, said: Il
am not surprised that Judge Gambler
is able to make an excuse that sounds
plausible to himself, if not to the peo-
pie of Georgia, for his present attitude
of holding tight to an important ju-
dicial office and at the same time
reaching out for another office. He has
heretofore been expert enough to hold
two important offices at the same time,
Notwithstanding the Offices he held
both had nice salary attachments and
there was at least a contingency that
they might entail conflicting duties
upon the sole occupancy of them. In
1898 Judge Gambler was able to hold
the office of colonel of the Third GeOr-
gia Regiment, u. S. v, and the office
of judge of the Superior Courts of the
Stone Mountain circuit at the same
time, and fortunate enough to enjoy
the $500 salary of a colonel and the
salary of Superior Court judge during
the same period. With such success
at dual office-holding, it is not sur
prising that Judge Gambler ignores the
improperly of holding an office that
gives him jurisdiction to determine
of voters as to their lives,
liberty and property. while seeking
the votes of those people for another
office. l have seen it published in a
paper edited by one of his friends that
Judge Gambler has stated that whether
he is elected to the Supreme Court
bench or not he will resign as judge
of the Superior Court of Stone Noun
tain circuit on Jan. l, and Judge Can
dler states in his interview that he
contemplates resigning next Wednes-
day. If in the one instance he will
certainly resign in three months, and
in the other instance he hopes to re-
sign in five days, is he holding so
tightly now to enpoy the small amount
of salary that will accrue to him, or is
it because he knows the difference be-
tween personal and official influence?
Most Georgians know and feel the
difference between refusing their suf-
fraee to an officer having jurisdiction
to determine their rights, and refusing
their suffrage to a private citizen. If
Judge Gambler is SO soon to resign
in any event, he can with little sacri-
flee of salary save the question of the
propriety of his present position, and
show a 'commendable respect for the
people of the state. and especially those
OF his circuit, who differ with him as
TO the good taste and fairness Of hold
ing to his official jurisdiction while So
Letting the votes of the people, by re-
signing Immediately.
Judge Gambler excuses his dual po-
sition of judicial officer and candidate |
by saying others have occupied a SINH
lar position, but he discriminates poor
ly. Chief Justice Hiram Warner was |
elected by the General Assembly in |
1916; Judge Martin j. Crawford was |
appointed by the Governor to succeed |
Hon. Logan f. Becky, resigned; |
Judge A. NJ. Speer and Chief Justice !
T. j. Simmons were elected by the |
General Assembly. Judge w. H. Fish |
was nominated by a convention COM |
posed of delegates chosen by the peo- |
pie his name not having been submit |
ted to the people, and he not having |
the votes of any of the citi- |
zenS of his circuit.
Judge Gambler can not logically say,
Thou, too to any of these distinguish
ed gentlemen, for there is a clear and
wide distinction between the way they
bench and the route Judge Gambler is
pursuing. But if distinguished gentle |
men have erred their error does not |
make wrong right politically or |
otherwise. Cotton Mather thought |
1t righteousness to seek to |
have William Penn and his fellow voy-
ayers captured on the high seas and /
sold into slavery, and our noble fathers |
a hundred years ago, blessed be their |
III
pure religion and brotherly love to go |
on voyages to Guinea in the slave |
trade, loaded down with hymn books
and handouts. Such conduct now |
could not be excused by saying that |
good men have done likewise. We have |
suffered many political anomalies in |
Georgia in the years that have gone,
but all good people are daily striving
10 improve political methods especial |
ly when they relate to the selection of
judges. By the way, I have received
letters from friends in the
Stone Mountain Circuit stating
that Judge Gambler has written to
friends in his judicial circuit and
hence presume he has likewise writ
ten elsewhere, to put his name only
on the ticket for the unexpired term
OF associate justice of the Supreme
Court, saying that there was no law
recurring the naming or other candi-
dates to be on the tickets and re-
questing his friends to see to it that
the names of other candidates are left
off. In such directions Judge Gambler
may be correct as to the law and
shrewd as to politics. put he is Woe
fully wrong as to judicial fairness.
must depend on my fellow citizens
throughout the state, who think I
should be entrusted with the important
office l am seeking at their hands, to
see to it that my name is written or
printed on their ballot for the office
of associate justice of the Supreme
Court to fill the uneXpired term of
Hon. H. T. Lewis, resigned