The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1906-03-20
col ONEL GEAREY MAKES
A REPLY TO JUDGE RYAN

To the Voters Of the City Of Fargo
|sItis with great reluctance that | go int
print. It's not my custom.
The article Of Mr.. Ryan in Saturday.
Forum IS so inaccurate and niislead
ing that q few statements from me maj
clear the situation.
It is true that { hold both the Office.
LOT county Justice and police magistrate
but have exercised no powers or re;
ceived one cent of fees. except sitch. q.
would have come to me ais police rnagis,
[trate only. though have issued paper.
as justice OF the peace because the blank:
were printed In that way, and because
the county should pay for blanks ant
records when it had the benefits Of fine.
imposed. 5sS iS IA II,
There IS no man, who is qualified, who
could afford to be a Justice Of the peace
in Fargo except in connection with some
other business. The fact that there have
been only two active justices has given
Mr.. Ryan an equal chance with myself
to secure business. lit IS as if Mr.. Cole
and Mr.. Mathews had owned q three
hotels, and the business was equal to the
demands of only two, and one was clos
ed the man who owned two would real.
Ily be worse off than the man who owned
one. & }55;# HI
n During all this time Mr.. Ryan has had
an opportunity to do one-half Of the
business. except the police business, and
he has had the benefit of his legal prac-
Etice in the district court, as against the
salary have received as police iliagis-
.trate and it is poorly paid attorney
who cannot make 10000 per month
from his legal practice. So then. ii
would appear as, though we were 'sil OH
nearly equal terms surely the advantage
not being on my side. ~ 8ss a,
3$sI have steadil refused to- do afly bus
mess as an attorney. 4 Now Mr.. Ryan
would have half the justice business and
retain his practice, and take from me
the salary as police magistrate. 1 is this
a square deal 2" 5 .ss
81 He says the law provides for three
justices in Fargo. This Is not !. fact.
lit provides for only two, as it does III
every township in tlie state. 1t also
provides for four at large IN the cotin-
ty, and It does not require that any Of
them shall be located In Fargo. This
county iiisticeship is of no benefit to me;
and years ago, when Judge. Hanson, was
City justice, offered to reiinquish it to
him, but he did not want 1t, ais lie knew
it was absolutely of no benefit to hin,
when he had the other. n.
" As to other reputable gentlemen seek
ing Mr.. Ryan's place, neither Of them
sought It until he had voluntarily abanr
dofied ii. y, 81 y. Il
. Some one has truly said 'tllat there
,s I no talsehood worse than the truth
half told.a M a AZ
.s Mi. Ryan states that. for the last
quarter OF 1905 | received $263,3s fof
ices tor Criminal business, and says al
that rate 1 would have received over
q thousand dollars in a year. That was
an exceedingly heavy quarter; but lie
does not state what is true, that for the
present three months have not earned
5000 in all; nor further, that I'M the
past month, have not had a single tioE
lar $ worth of criminal business; So taat
1 might just as triithfiilly say 81 had
not earned dollar iii the year, atthat
rate. Either statement lis false, fraudu-
lent and misleading He further SAYS
that have at least 5000. 90 year from
civil business and it may reach ST 600. 90. j
Mr.. Ryan does not know ANYTHING about
my receipts from civil business He has
had his part of it and If he has received
3 I 10000 from it ] am GLAD. ! must take
ms statement as to his own BUSH
ness, but my civil business does not ex-
ceed $e5.oo per month, except it might be-
lii rare cases and many months does not
exceed one-half of $25.oo per month.
Not one of Mr.. Ryar's statements az
70 terms of my Office is correct, nor are
his statements as TO my receipts any
nearer the truth. 1t is principle iii law
that "a man has no more right To sav
hat which he does not know to be trt,e
than to state that which he knows to
De false, and his statements frltlst be
measured by that standard.
lie says am rich; yet while it Is no
mans concern how much property
have, will say that with my obligations
met, should not have an income 4,
excess of $1,000 per month If \ lost my
position.
l have a modest home. / have reared
md educated a respectable family and
oaid every man / owed / am, however,
rich IN the MANY friends which
have ii this city, and whose
friendship and respect prize
above any money consideration.
and which friendship and respect Il con-
adently believe will NOT be alienated
BY the incorrect, and therefore untrue
statement made BY Mr. Ryan. AT man
who aspires to any judicial position
ought To be fair and Just and i shall in
dulge il no personal. bitter Oh unjust
statements. IS 81 95s
AS TO my reaching out for eyery-
thing, he knows and you know. that i
have sought for no position OF profit
except that Of police magistrate, the
salary Of which is 10000 per month. the
same as paid to "a patrolnafl. / have.
collected and paid TO the city treasurer
within the past year between 100000
and 10000, which is more than enough
to pay my salary for the whole time.
which ! have occupied this position, and
which my friend Charles H Mitchell
viii fell vOit was alyvaus ssasd ~, Az