The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-02-02
CONFUSING THE ISSUE.

CONFUSED the issue III REGARD W w dS lie
county's congressional candidates. The
Item, after justly stating that it had
no personal candidate for any office
and calling attention to the well reCOg-
niZed honesty Of the three men who
delegation to the district convention,
stated that it felt that Wilfred Jes-
sup, the present prosecuting attorney,
was being fought in his campaign by
the elements of disorder and graft
and Matchmaking in this county" And
under this assumption the Item adyo-
Gated that the people owed it to them
selves to stand solidly behind MI Jes
sup in his race for the honest manner
in which he has fulfilled his duties as
prosecutor and. for the fulfilling of
which, it is claimed he is now being
opposed in his race for congress. In
fact this quotation from the Items ed
itorial sums up the whole situation:
Were Mr.. Jessup a private citizen as
are the two other estimable men who
are opposing him, or was his official
capacity other than that which it is,
The Item would not lend it's influence
be that great or small. in his behalf,
as against his opponents who are wor-
thy men. But the office of prescott
ing attorney is being passed upon by
this primary"
Now there is where we disagree with
the view taken by the Item We do
not believe Mr.. Jessup's official capac-
ity enters in any manner into this con-
gressional campaign. When Mr.. Jes-
sup became candidate for congress
he became, in the eyes of the people, a
private citizen, seeking the highest
honor the district can give. He was
on plane with the other two Wayne
county candidates. 1t was not Prose
cutor Jessup who was seeking the
Wayne county delegation, but Wilfred
Jessup. private citizen. If he is sue
cessful in the coming primary that
does not mean a vindication of his
course as prosecutor. Nor if he is de
feated will it mean that the citizens of
Wayne county were against him be
cause he was law enforcing prosecut-
or. 1t is wrong to allow the idea 10
60 forth that the lawless and corrupt
element of Wayne county is working
against Mr.. Jessup and in favor of his
opponents Both the other candidates
are clean, upright, wholesome men, as
the Item has stated, and both have a
wide circle of friends, admirers and
supporters. And by this we mean
that these friends and supporters rep
resent the flower of the citizenhood Of
this county. Just such supporters as
him. Consider for one moment the
fact that Wilfrcd Jessup has served
more than one term as prosecuting at
torney, He was as much of law en-
forcing prosecutor during his first
term as he WAS during this, his last
term. Vet two years ago he was re-
nominated and reelected. Does not
that show that the lawless and disor-
derby element were not much of pow
er when it came TO displacing an Off.
Ger who stood high in the regard of the
people for his rigid adherence to his
oath of office: Rather would we
think that the lawless element, il
they are so opposed tc Mr.. Jessup
would be behind him in his race for
congress in order to get him out of the
county if possible. The office of pros
ecutiLg attorney is not being passed
upon by this primary. Jessup, Yen
Ger and Campbell, the private citizens
IRE the ones who are being passed up
on. If Mr.. Jessup is defeated it does
not mean that his successor as prose
cutor must bow to the lawlcss element
In order to expect further political ad
vancement. The office of prosecutiu-
attorney is not to be considered :
stepping stone to higher political of
lice. 1t is an office the holder 81
which is expected by the county to I'll
according to his oath. Il his recorc
Is such as 10 earn the peoples highes
confidence THAT is q political asset i,
may use as he sees fit il seeking high
er office. But the mere fact that am
man has been prosecuting attorue!
does not entitle MIN, for the past OF
ices sake. TO expect other candidates
friends to rally 10 his support.