Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-09
FIGHT FOR FEDERAL
IUDGESHIP IS STILL
HOT IN WASHINGTON
Although West Is Almost Sure
of Place, Folders Friends
Are Working Hard-0Sborne
Not an Applicant for Place
By RALPH SMITH.

! WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-The situation
with respect to the south Georgia feder-
| al judgeship is paradoxical. Develop
ments that seemingly tend to complicate
the selection of a judge really clarity
the situation and point more surely 10
| the appointment of John Il. West, OF
! Thomson and Augusta.
| 1t should be stated, however, that
| neither Thomas s. elder nor his friends
are discouraged over the outlook, and
| are determined to remain in the ring
until the nomination finally is sent to the
senate by the president.
a delegation of Maconians and others
! interested in the appointment of Mr..
Fielder will reach Washington Monday
morning to appear before Senators Hard
wick and Smith, and the attorney gen.
eral. Mr.. Fielder tonight arranged an
audience with the senators for his
| friends, and they, in turn, have arranged
| n hearing at the department of justice.
Senators Hardwick and Smith remain
non-committal, but probably will make a
recommendation in a few days. The de-
velopments of the day were:
The arrival of IL. b. Strange, of
| Statesboro, and Kinch Overstreet of
| Sylvania. They are interested in the APP
| pointment of the former. The appear
/
! law partner of w. ". Osborne, whose
name has been mentioned prominently
| for the appointment The presence of
John T. West, accompanied by Judge
| Henry Hammond and ]. c. McAuliffe, of
Augusta. Messages from Judge Joseph
| w. Bennett, of Brunswick, announcing
| his arrival Monday, with bulky endorse
ments. The presence of Colonel Ed T..
! Brown, of Atlanta, who is understood to
! favor a man from extreme southern
| Georgia. The determination and activi-
| ty of Thomas S. Fielder, of Macon, and
! the renewed activity of his friends in
| Georgia through the agency of the tele-
graph wires.
| OSBORNE NOT APPLICANT.
| Mr.. Lawrence let it be known that
Mr.. Osborne is not now and has never
/ been an applicant for the appointment,
and has no intention of visiting Wash
| ington i'm the immediate future. This
| statement had a clarifying effect. Os-
/ borne is held in high personal regard by
both Of the senators and each ehter-
/ tains also great respect for his legal
attachments and his integrity.
While neither of them had any reason
| to believe Mr.. Osborne was an active
| aspirant for the honor, the activity Of
I certain of his friends in Georgia and
| placed him i'm the attitude Of being pas.
sively interested. The statement nat
| he Ia not now and has never been an
arelicant relieves the senator of fur
| Their considering his recCmm ndati n.
The elimination of Mr.. Osborne,
however, does not ST. engthen the
chances of the extreme southern end of
| the state, because hat section still has
two applicants in Judge Bennett and
Colonel Strange. The bar is di, ided as
between these two gentlem and Mr..
Osborne, VINO was vo unfairly indorsed
| by a large number Of disting ish at
| torneys all over south Georgia.
1t is not known that Co onel ed
Brown, of Atlanta, feels mo than a
passive interest in the judgeship, out it
| is reported persistently that he holds
! to the opinion that the new judge
| should come from the extreme south
| eTn end of the state. 1t is said that
he favors either Mr.. Osborne or Judge
Rannett. 1t was impossible today 10
confirm this rep TT. and it may be that
| Mr. Brown il in Wash ngton only as
! The personal guest of the president.
The presence and acti tiles of Mr..
Fielder, Colonel Strange, and pc sibly
Colonel Brown, and the coming OF
| Judge Bennett, ordinarily would be re-
Garded as complicating but such is not
1.-The case, as has been stated. AS a
! matter of fact they stress the inabili-
ty of the extreme southern end district
| 10 harmoniZe on an applicant, and they
/ emphasize the likelihood OF John L.
| Vests appointm mt.
Mr.. FEEDER does not agree to the de-
duction that either the geography or
Il the politics of the situation sho ID, or
/ do, operate against him. He attaches
| no importance to the fact that he and
| Judge Speer are both residents OF Ma
con.
"The new judge will have to live in
Savannah, res ard ess. of his present
| residence" sad Mr.. Fielder today.
81 stand ready to take up my home
in Savannah if a pointed. Judge Speer
when appo ntcd, did not live in che
southern iurisdict on. He" was resi-
dent Of north Georsia. the talk OF
geography is of no consequence in my
opinion"
| Mr. Fielder referred also to his stood
fast loyalty to the prin lip es Of pro-
e essive democracy in tie state Iegis-
lature, as attorney General and as a
candidate for the United States n
, ate. He thinks his record politically
, iustifes his selection, if politics is &c
be considered at all.
John T. West is doub'v fortunate in
having to combat no suggestion or a
. divided bar and in coming a.so IRON
a section that has never been recogniZ-
: ed on the federal di trict CO TT bench
. | He commands furthe strensth from
the fact that he has ways been 6
progressive Democrat. a steadfas
J friend and sup ortzr of the president
: and his policies and of the Georgia
senator's.
Fielder and Strange saw the attorney
general this afternoon. West prooa
bly will see him ca, ly next week.