The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-04
THE KEARNs PROPOSITION.

The proposition OF Senator Kearns
for q Mining Department in the Gov
ernment, and FOR the appointment of
man especially trained in mining law
to fill the prospective vacancy In the
United States Supreme Court, is taking
well with the public everywhere. The
newspapers in the mountain region are
commencing Mr.. Kearns's proposition,
are supporting the proposed mining de-
partment with zeal, and commencing
with earnestness the idea that skilled
mining lawyer should I'LL that vancancy
upon the Supreme bench. This was no
more than was to have been expected
from the intelligence, large mindedness,
and patriotism of the press Of the whole
interior region, That press recognizes
the fact of the high Importance of the
mining industry, and the weakness of
the Supreme Court, since the death of
Judge Field, in the treatment of tech.
nical mining questions. The vast i'm.
portance of the industry is held uni
versally throughout the Western re-
gions to be ample justification for the
creation of Mining Department Of the
Government, presided over by Cabinet
officer. And the same large influence
and strong demand justify the sugges-
tion made by Mr.. Kearns for a lawyer
especially skilled in mining law, to sue
ceed to the vacancy in the highest court
in the land
1t is only in Utah that few foul
venomous scavengers
SEQ fit to question the timeliness and
the justice Of the suggestion made by
Senator Kearns. One Smoot agency af-
fects to see in it bribe Of or reproach
to q Judge OF the Federal District
what the objection of this scavenger
bird is; whether that objection is to the
bribe or to a supposed lure to
the Judge as an inducement for him to
decide a case; or whether it is an effort
to get rid Of that Judge SO that he shall
not sit upon case at all The whole
evil, malignant business of this objec-
tion to Senator Kearns proposition is
enveloped in the usual fog which at
taches to the ignorant outgivings Of
that Smoot agency. Part Of the time
one would think that Mr.. Kearns was
offering a tremendous bribe in this;
while at other times it would appear
that the idea is that any suggestion
made by Senator Kearns is necessarily
4 handicap on the proposition, is sure
I'LL ~
Ill, but rather q detriment to the mat
ter that he favors. The Smoot agencies
had better reconcile their own propo-
,itions and find out what they want to
complain about before undertaking to
neddle with a straightforward, reason
able proposition which has the support |
IF the whole Western community at it's |
back, and the Importance Of which the |
Smoot agency does not in the least COM
orehend.
Senator Kearns's proposition Is all
light, and until the opposition to it
comes out in the open and declares
what its objection means-whether it
8 merely a growl because Kearns pro-
posed this beneficial and remedial
Measure, or whether it means that his
proposal was a detriment-it will not
,e easy to locate their real point, if |
indeed there is point. At present, and
for the future, the whole mat
er will seem to be a mere vindictive
,ell of opposition because Senator
zearns has got the inside track in pro-
posing something that every one recog
lizes to be good and right, and upon
which the opposition is chagrined to
ind him in the lead.