The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1918-05-02
JUDGE GRAVES DECLINES
Decides to Remain on the Supreme
Bench Rather Than Go to the
Senate,

When the death of Senator Stone
lett a vacancy in the United States
Senate. Governor Gardner. whose
duty it was to fill the vacancy by APP
pointment, after considering the
merits of several.o the leading Dem
ocrats OF the state. rendered the APP
pontment to Judge w. w. Graves.
presiding justice of the Missouri STU
preme Court. After consulting his
family and friends, Judge Graves ar
rived at the conclusion that as his
whole public life had been spent in
the law, he should decline the prof
fered honor, which he did in the fol
lowing letter:
Dear Governor:
Il beg to acknowledge the receipt
of Your very kind note of the Goth
inst. offering to me the Senatorship
from Missouri, as successor to the
late lamented Senator William J,
Stone. Words can not express my
gratitude to you for this unexpected.
but distinguished honor, thus CON
fcrred upon me. May my future life
demonstrate to you that the honor
was not misplaced. To hold seat ii,
the upper house OF the greatest legis
lativc body OF the world is a distinc
ton which comes to but few. and to
say that your offer did not kindlc
anew the. fires oil ambition would be
to utter an untruth But these are
trying times for this republic, and
times when each man should serve
where he thinks that he can serve
best. have tried to GXc your very
kind offer the best consideration that
have in me, and have taken counsel
with my family and many friends.
Personal ambitions, on the one hand
and Inconvenience and diScumtorts
ON the other, | have tried to leave
out of the consideration. Alter thu,
character OF consideration, | have
concluded that should not accept
t his high post OF honor
AS you may know. my whole lie
has been welded to the law. With
me it has been a labor of love. J
have never sought promotion or held
office, except along the line OF my
profession. My study oi Statecralt
has been casual one, and one
prompted solely by the desire for
general information. and not with the
view oi pfcfer,nent in the field o.:
politics.
"Cnder ordinary circumstances one
has, without serious public loss.
ample. time to adjust himself to a new
iicld Of action. But not SO now.
With the world literally on fire, and
the very liberty of all free peoples at
stake. it is a time when, the man
should serve where he thinks, by his
training. he can serve best. This Is
no hour for >lackcrs. but | feel that |
can more efficiently render public
service with the Judiciary than in the
L. $. Senate. and | know it is more
congenial to my tastes.
Il note in the public press YOU de-
sire to have man who will stand
firmly at the back OF President Will
son in this great struggle tor the
worlds liberty. This most heartily
endorse, but feel that there are
many men in loyal Missouri from
whom You can choose such a man.,
and that the one you may select Will
not only support the President, but
will otherwise ably and signally rep
resent cur growing Commonwealth.
SO again thanking you for the dis
,inpu,hed honor you have conferred
upon me, and regretting that my best
Judgment prompts dcclination OF the
Scna,orship at this time. beg to re-
main,
"Npry Sincerely Yours.
ON ~ or AYES "