Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1904-08-04
AN OPEN LETTER.
Hon. A. F. Parker Replies to
Judge Ailshle.

non. "A. +. Parker r eplieS to
Judge Ailshle.
Editor Free Press: In the
Grangeville Standard of last week
was published a speech alleged to
have been delivered by Justice ALL
SHE which, If he is correctly re.
ported should bring upon him the
just condemnation and execration
OF every honest citizen of Idaho
county.
In this speech, Justice Ailshie,
q member Of the Supreme court of
the state Of Idaho, in effect claims
for the Republican party all the
elements Of virtue, integrity, NOR
ality and patriotism of the county
and the country. He is good
enough to say that there are
"some" good democrats in Idaho
county.
Apart from his present position
as a member Of the state supreme e
court which, to q man of common
decency, should keep him out of
politics, Mr.. Ailshie has had q
variegated and unsavery career in
Idaho county which should make
him the last man on earth to Wilt
fy the democratic citizenshi D of
this county. A man who has mar
rowly escaped indictment by q
grand jury of this county for vio-
lating q criminal statute of this
state, aud for which he only es-
capped justice by the political in
fluence Of local republican politi-
clans, aided and abetted by repub-
lican court officials, and W h o
furthermore. has the blood of a
fellow citizen on his hands, should
be the last to impeach the integrity
of an individual, much less the
large majority of the citizenship of
this county.
Mr.. Ailshie doubtless supposes
that his election to the supreme
court of this state by q popular
majority has condoned his past
record and conferred upon him
absolution and forgiveness, to-
gether with the divine attribute of
judging his fellow men, so that he
divides them into two classes-the
republican elect, and the democra-
tic scum of the earth.
The democratic citizenship of
this county needs no defense at
my hands from the assaults of ALL
shie or anyone else, any more than
the republican citizenship would
need defense if some dirty dog as
sailed it.
I will say further, that the demo-
cratic administration Of our county
government is strictly law abiding
and economical, and if Mr.. Ailshie
can put his finger upon any act of
past or present democratic county
fofiicials in this county indicating a
violation Of law, he owes it to the
general public, as we'll as to his
republican associates, to furnish
the plans and specifications thereof
in order that the democratic party
and the general public can retire
it's unworthy servant or servants
to private life. A justice of the
supreme court of all men should
come to the front with specific and
precise charges when he assails the
integrity Of incumbents of the pub.
lie Offices. For two years past we
have had vaporings and inuendot
from republican sources, that there
is something rotten in our county
government. Now that Justice
Ailshie has joined the hue aud cry
let him come down to direct charg
es and specifications, and I will
guarantee the same vigorous
prosecution that institutedagai
Mr.. Ailshie himself in 1898 on tht
bogus telegram business, for which
Mr.. Ailshie narrowly escaped in
dictment.
At the last term of district court
in this county the bar was treated
to spectacle which has probably
never been duplicated in the polit
ical history of the United States
Justice Ailshie, a member Of thu
supreme court of this. state, sat fol
three days in the court room witt
his law partner, A. S. Hardy, tt
select the jury for a trial ther
pending and which Ailshie had
defended during the previous term
when the jury hung, rendering
new trial necessary. In the NEAR
time, Ailshie had been elected t.
the supreme court OF the state, an(
the recent opinion Of the supreme
court ordering a new trial in thi'
identical case bears all the ear
marks of Ailshie himself, contain
ing as it does characteristic Sian
at the alleged "criminal careless
ness" of the democratic count.
prosecuting attorney. The stat
supreme court will never be a non
partisan body while men like Jane
F. Ailshie are it's members.
August /, 1904. A. F. PARKER
A Cunonoar C0ld