Evening journal., 1909-05-20
Thursday, May 20, 1909
THE NEW JUDGES.

q OVERNOR PENNEWILI. has again dis
~ appointed his opponents. During the cam
paign he was berated on all occasions and the
prediction was freely made that if elected Gov
ernor he would do some awful things that would
bring discredit upon the state. His administra-
ton would be- it was said, merely partisan me,
with no thought higher than that which would
proceed from a council of ward heelers Then
when the time for the appointments came it was
also predicted that the Governor would make
bad appointments, that sinister partisan in1u-
ences would control him and that nothing good
have proved false much to the chagrn of those
who thought they would get Democratic parti-
san capital out OF the appointments
Governor Pennewill has acted wholly for what
he believed TO be the best interests of the state.
He has made some appointments in which we
have reason to believe he put aside personal
preference and friendship and his own personal
feeling and named the men that he believed were
best fitted for the places. Not only this, but we
may add as we intimated yesterday, that the
Governor considered the requests of powerful
political leaders along with the opinions of 9TH
ers and the views of these leaders in some in
stances happily did not prevail
The Governor showed fully as much indie
pendence as his warmest admirers could expect
lie has more than pleased them They realize the
difficulties that confronted him. They knew that
in the first place most of the appointments had
torneys, and they knew in the second place that
number of Republican attorneys had signhed
their intention of refusing appointments were
they to be offered to them.
in connection with this it may be we'll to
rt the acceptance of the place of resident
iudss Tor this county by Mr.. Daniel O. Hastings.
Mr. Hastings did not want the appointment He
believed that he would be sacrificing much by
accepting il. The place is for twelve years with
no guarantee of reappointment. Mr.. Hastings
is young man and should he return to active
practice after term on the bench he would have
to begin all over again" lie, therefore, made
sacrifice in his final decision to yield to the
wishes OF the Governor and become judges
All along 1t has been accepted that Mr. Curtis
would be appointed Chancellor, the head of the
judiciary. Mr.. Curtis is we'll known before the
bar and his legal training particularly fits him
for the high position. There can be no criticism
of his appointment. 1t was thoroughly under
stood that Judge Pennewill would be made Chief
Justice. Comment upon this appointment is STU
perhuous Judge Pennewill is one man about
whom there has been no difference OF opinion in
Delaware and il is needless TO add that he will
preside over courts to the satisfaction of all.
The moment that objection was made to the
rcappointment of Judge Boyoe on partisan
grounds By some Sussex county persons. the re-
appointment of the Judge was assured. The Gov
crnor could not have done otherwise and pre-
served his self respect Judge Boyce is thor
oughy qualified for the position and, in fact has
earned his reappontment
Mr. Conrad. for Sussex county, we feel sure
will meet with the approval Of the people OF that
county as well Of the state. He is of judicial
temperament and habits that fit him for the
bench. His appointment is acceptable
As We have said the community is under obli-
cations 10 Mr.. Hastings for accepting the APP
pointmcnt for resident Judge of this county and
thus relieving the Governor of an embarrassing
situation.
The appointment Of Mr.. Victor B. Woolley
is creditable to the Governor Mr. Woolley is
the writer OF an authoritative work on Delaware
practice. lie has been a lecturer in the law
school OF the University of Pennsylvania. In
many ways he is qualified TO be Judge
All in all it is we-balanced judiciary