The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-04-06
R. B. GRIFFITH
HAS AN ANSWER
EXPLAINS HIS POSITION IN RE-
GARD TO JUDGE FISK AND SAYS
JUDGE coRLlss Is MISTAKEN
ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.

To The Forum Replying to the ar
ticle published in The Forum concern
ing my remarks ABOUT Judge Fisk. II
wish to say, that in my opinion, Judge
Corliss Is very much mistaken about
this subject
First Judge Corliss Is mistaken in
saying made wanton and savage
attack on the character or Judge Fisk
/ said nothing about his character, II
spoke of his judicial acts. / believe
Judge Fisk lis honest and fearless in
his attitude, but every thoughtful man
knows that all men are unconsciously
Influenced by their bent of thought,
their training, and their manner of
life No man Is equally balanced. or
you would have the perfect man-and
he does not exist
The temperance voters have a right
to ask for and support for supreme
Judges men whose attitude is friendly
to our prohibition law. as well as all
other moral public questions. Too
long has TEN perance legislation been
thwarted by officials not in sympathy
with prohibition. The time has come
| for a square understanding about the
attitude Of coming candidates for pub
lie Office.
MY contention Is that the judicial
acts of Judge Fisk indicate that his
tendency is to discourage laws that are
important in the enforcement of pro-
| hibition. Let his record speak for it
| self.
Second. Judge Corliss is mistaken
in holding up the case of State VS..
Hanson, is N. ID. BAT, as indicating
fairness towards prohibition by Judge
Fisk. for the reason that those that
have had much to do with enforce
ment of prohibition in this state, do
not regard this question Of publishing
the federal government tax receipts as
an important matter in the enforce
4 ment of the law. On the other hand,
Judge Corliss must know that the very
recent action of Judge Fisk would
keep the attorney general out of the
grand jury room. This case does not
vet appear In tie official reports but
| in the advance sheets of the North
western Reports. page Alt, Vol. 124
State ex rel, Miller, Attorney General
VS.. District court of Burleigh county
i decided Jan. -, 1910.
4
appear in a grand jury room in Bur
leigh county Judge Winchester
would not let him in. IL he could moi
get before the grand jury, the liquor
Interests could defy him. The case
Twas appealed to the supreme court
4 Carmody wrote the opinion for thu
majority, overruled Judge Winchestel
and decided the attorney general haC
the right to go before grand jury
Judge Fisk dissented.
Third. Judge Corliss is mistaken
: when he intimates that layman ha
! no right to criticise the judicial act
of a supreme juugc. l contend 1t il
: the duty of the citizen to CAREFUL.
scrutinize the judgments rendered b,
men placed by their votes in such
Irresponsible position. This is a FIRE
country and the right to publicly ex
lpress opinions about the acts of pub
Ilic servants is a privilege not to b
Surrendered, otherwise your publ
servants become your absolute rulers
Narrowness consists more in build
ling a. Chinese wall around the suprem
bench than in admitting the right c
1.-THE American citizen to criticise a
2 loficials and their acts.
Fourth. My friend Corliss will de
: eide upon deliberate consideration ths
{ IL do not charge corruption or dishon
/ Iesty against Judge Fisk, but in consid
/ ering his public acts in the past, upo
: a very important law, calling after
4 ton of the voters to his record, I al
S lseeking openly to accomplish what
believe to be for the best interests I
s the state.
d Not all the judicial ability OF I'll
: state not all the brain power Of IL
: Illegal profession is cornered by tn
: one man. There are other able ms
: who will come forward, whose trair
s ling, habits of minds and bent of cha
r, acter will appeal TO the temperan'
s voters as men whom they can trus
n Iat times Of honest indecision as to tecl
meal Interpretation cf the law, to les
toward the friends of temperate
rather than to the saloon element.
1t is not unfair to show the reco
l. OF Judge Fisk, for by his record
will be judged n. B. Griffith.