The sun., 1908-08-23
Governor Comer Protests.

The Hon. B. B. CONFER Of Alabama has
had his attention called to certain re-
marks in THE SUN last month concern
ing Fourth Of July speech he delivered
in Samson, Geneva county, on the occa-
sion Of local fair. A mighty fine
speech we thought 1t was, and II he does
not approve our comments on his refer
enoes to Judge JONES Of the Federal
court he is hard to please, for those were
the very references he made himself and
with every appearance Of deliberation.
1t occurred to US, moreover, that as
Judge JONES was himself an Albanian,
had served throughout the civil war in
the Southern army, had been Governor
Of the State and had always occupied q
prominent position in society and affairs,
enjoying the good will Of his neighbors
and the respect and confidence Of the
best elements of the people at large, he
was entitled to considerate treatment by
even Governor Conner himself.
Our comments were Of course prompted
by interest in the railway controversy
an interest which the whole country
shared and which related to other States
as well as to Alabama-and they en-
braced Governor Conner only to the ex-
tent to which in his capacity as Chief
Executive he had seen fit to denounce
Judge THOMAS G. JONES, his motives
and his acts. He told his audience how
Judge JONES had once been attorney for
the Louisville and Nashville Railway
Company, insinuated that he was a
protege Of the president Of that oorpo-
ration, charged that he was under rail-
road environment, described more or
less accurately the injunction issued by
Judge JONES from the United States
bench-an injunction subject to review
in the higher courts-and then said:
When high Judge descends TO coerctng .
people then the ernlne Of his court Is being
dragged in the dust. No court can maintain q
higher position than TO hold the respect. love. the
trust and confidence Of all the people, and when
It places itself In the position OF an advocate or
intimidstor then there come recollections of .
SWAIN q BusrxEp and a JEYrRxrs.-
Now Governor Conner writes to US,
thoughtfully enclosing copy Of his
speech as published in the Birmingham
Neps OF the day Of its delivery at Sam
son and suggesting that we print so
much of it as refers to Judge JONES.
He protests his faith in the judiciary,
but asks: IF we do not criticise what we
esteem to be improper jurisdiction or
conduct how can we ever have a correc-
ton OF same?" We might propose an
appeal from Judge JONES to the tribunals
above him, as a result Of which all the
alleged improprieties and injustioes could
be ventilated in a congenial atmosphere,
but it is 80 evident the Hon. B. B. Conner
thinks appeals from United States Judge
JONES ought to be taken to the Gov
ernor OF Alabama that we refrain.
We do not think that we need repro
duoe any more OF Governor CoMER's
illusions to Judge JONES. What We
have given Is the elimination OF his
lengthy arguments and assertions and
serves all our purposes. We still think
the Governor ought to have kissed the
babies and delivered an impassioned
apostrophe to the mammoth squash.
That would have been In harmony with
the occasion and saved him the expense
of printing for distribution.