The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-24
JUDGE soMERvILLE ONCE MORE

JUDGE SOMERV1LLE ONCE MORE. We have the greatest respect for the honesty of the esteemed Montgomery Ad- vertiser and have come to regard it's opin- ions as generally sound and impartial, but we are inclined to the opinion that 1t has allowed partisan and not Judicial con alterations to influence it's judgment when sS resasa s1 she pSoS Sars hciai. as ''imprudent' or in bad taste" We apply the old but nevertheless often times effective test of putting the ques- ton with the conditions reversed: What would The Advertiser say if Judge Som erville were Republican holding an of flee under a Democratic admnistrat tion and should criticise publicly and in an offensive way a Democratic President? We trow, as Cy Lyle would say. that that would be different story and afford an entirely different viewpoint. Let's be just if We can't be altogether generous Chattanooga Times
 The Advertiser appreciates the kindly opinion entertained for 1t by a contem- porary which we read with both pleasure and profit. and this is not said by way of returning compliments, but because it is true. The Times is a good newspaper soundly Democratic and almost invari- ably fair in it's discussions. If 1t has one fault. it is It's inclination to defend the President where defence from Southern source is almost inexcusable.
 But to the subject: We fear The Times failed to read Judge Somerville's paper in The North American Review as carefully as we have. It was not in any sense statement of facts. and of legitimate con clusions drawn therefrom, by man in every way fully qualified to speak on the subject. Judge Somerville is not only an eminent jurist, but Is man of education and extensive information. a native of the South. and in every way fully quail fled to speak of and for the South. His brief paper in The Review was temper ate and timely, free from bitterness. judi cial In tone and without any tinge of partisan feeling. Almost at the outset he alludes to the letter of the President to Governor Durbin, of Indiana. and de- clares that '1t will accomplish much in supporting the growing public sentiment upholding the majesty of the law" But he was not. and could not be, blind to facts. and, therefore, he used this lan- guage.f
 The disturbing effects of President Roosevelts attitude towards the negro can never be adequately estimated. in its retardation of the solution of the race problem which Is staggering American statesmanship. The appointment of the negro. Crum. as Collector of Customs at the Port of Charleston. in opposition to the known sentiment even of the Republi- can Senate and other like Presidential policies. produced great excitement in the South. and reopened the wounds of race prejudlces which were gradually being allayed.
 He then alluded to the nomination for Governor of Mississippi of a man who tolerated negro lynching and opposed ne- gro education. and declared that 'the over-zealous friends of the negro thus be- come practically his worst enemies" These were words of truth and sober ness. spoken without malice or sectional bitterness, voicing the best and most in- telligent Southern sentiment, and we in- sist that they were both proper and timely.
 Times we have this to say: If it were possible to conceive of Democratic Pres ident pursuing the policy on the race question that Roosevelt has. and in the way he has done, we should heartily en- dorse any Southern Federal official who would criticise that President and his policy as Judge Somerville has criticis d Roosevelt. We should say that he did right and in so saying would feel that we were just and fair. even if we might not be generous. And We ppprehend that The Times would join us.