Evening journal., 1914-04-02

Sff--In your issue March 81 you print very in
accurate account of address made before the ladies
of the Wilmington Equal Suffrage Association and their
guests OF what had TO say, and what actually said,
have nothing to recant What particularly object
to in what you have to say is, that you make the
seron in large headlines, that suggested the recall
of State judges. did nothing Of the kind, nor do be-
ieve in the recall of the judiciary. What said was,
In reference to that tried here within few
weeks that such decisions were enough to make peo
pie believe IN the recall Of the judiciary think that in
this feeling will be backed by every mother in this
State, and most of the fathers.
As any other remarks the subject Of the ignor
anee and prejudice existing in this State, can only
you that yonr attitude about them is much
more the resut Of momentary excitement and an ex-
cess OF ZEAL than mine, for my feeling IN the matter is
the result of good many years OF "calm reflection In
this expression ] know that am backed by a great
many Delawareans who have the good OF Delaware at
heart You here merely in the interests and pay OF
political party and cannot take lessons from you
as To what my duty Is to my state or I'm what manner
shall perform IT, If you had honestly believed that
what said was "unfounded and offensive" 1t seems
pity that you should have taken pains to give it such
wide publicity and to go TO the lengths Of drawing
attention to Il through your editorial column.
Yours truly,
FLORENCE BAYARD HILLEs.
Wilmington Del. April 1, 1914.
We shall not attempt reply in detail to the letter
of Mrs. Hles There certain portions OF it which
call for no reply because they entirely foreign to
the points at issue AS view it, the entire matter
narrows down to two questions, follows:
Did Mrs Hnles, in the Of her address on wo-
man suffrage assa the judiciary of this State and ad
vocate the recall Of iudges2
Did Mrs Hllles say that Delaware is ignorant and
a prejudlced little State that needs stirring up?
Nothing is farther from the desire OF THE EVEN
ING JOURNAL than to misrepresent any utterance Of
Mrs. Hies. In that connection wish to say that
we have been assured by the reporter who reported
her speech that that report is accurate in all essen
tal particulars For the sake Of argument, however,
let admit that there direct advocacy by Mrs.
Hnles Of recall of judges Let that Mrs.
Hles does not believe in the recall and that specif
cay she did not declare that belief and yet find
enough In her letter printed above to show that she
It. she did not specifically advocate It,
In the of her speech Mrs Hilles discussed the
of Patrick Cassidy tried last month in the Court OF
General Sessions in this county Cassidy old white
man. was accused Of having matreated young girl He
was put on trial March g. After the jury had been
out quite while, it returned with verdict Of guilty.
Coupled with that verdict recommendation OF
mercy j. Frank Ball counsel to the prisoner, gave
tce of "a motion for an arrest of Judgment and new
trial subsequently the time for filing the motion
extended and finally the movement in behalf Of the
defendant was abandoned. Cassidy taken before
the court on March 16 for Associate Judges
Boyce and Conrad two of the most eminent and popu-
lar lembers OF the State judiciary, sitting. When
Cassidy stood up for sentence the court informed him
that because Of the recommendation of mercy made
by the jury and also because of his advanced years,
the sentence would be made lighter than it otherwise
would be. II then directed that he pay fine
of $500 and be in the County Workhouse
for nine months
her public discussion of that case Mrs Hilles ad
mits in her letter published above that she sad refer
ring to the sentence inflicted by Judges Boyce and Con-
rad upon Cassidy:
"such decisions are enough make people believe in
the recall of the judiciary"
And now she adds that think that in this feeling
will be backed by every mother in this State. and by
most Of the fathers"
Mrs Hilles says she only did not suggest the
call of the judiciary but that she does not believe in
such recall We fail to see how she reconciles that
statement with the admitted she maderelative to
the sentence inflicted upon Cassidy by Judges Boyce
and Conrad-that "such decisions enough to make
people believe in the recall of the judiciary This
earnest advocate Of suffrage admits that des
pte decisions she herself does not believe in the
call That being it difficult upon what foun
daton she her further statement that she thinks
she will be backed by every mother in this State, and
by most of the fathers in her declaration that such de-
cisons the rendered by Judge Boyce and Judge
Conrad are "enough to make people believe In the re-
call Of the judiciary" If they enough to make
her believe in IT, upon what line of reasoning does she
rely subsantiae her assertion that they enough
others believe in It? That certainly is pert
inent question.
We venture the opinion that not per cent Of the
mothers per cent of the fathers in this State
would vote for petition for the recall of Judge
Boyce Judge Conrad because Of the sentence they
imposed in the Cassidy The people of this State
look upon them as who have the highest regard
for Delaware womanhood and grlhood and also as up
right judges who would not knowingly do anything
detrimental TO the welfare and safety OF the
and girls Of this State.
Leaving out of account altogether the accuracy or
the naccuracy Of the report of Mrs Hes speech
perfectly content to leave the decision of
discriminating public the question whether the admit
ted utteranee and the written supplement thereto do
not constitute attack upon at least portion Of
judiciary the suggestion that such decisions the
in the Cassidy enough to make people
believe in the recall Of the judiciary We perfectly
content to permit the recall feature of the controversy
upon the foundation that has been it
by Mrs Hilles, it reveals, between story
and her letter distinction without much Of differ
ence.
AS Mrs. HiIles not only stands firmly by and even