Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-19
THE CASE AGAINST MILLER.

The Clean Court committee is making a vlgoT:-
Gus presentation of the charges against Andrew
Miller III the hearings before the subcommittee or
the senate judiciary committee in Washington.
Certain of these charges are OF such a character that
the facts cannot well be known to the general pub
lie. These relate to specific items in the life and
career of Miller, The committee which has made
the charges is composed Of responsible men who
cannot be suspected of either the immortality or the
folly of making specific charges which they do not
believe to be true, and which they are not prepared
to support. These features of the case are outside
the field Of knowledge of the average citizen, belief
in their accuracy must be based on knowledge or
the character of the men making the charges and OF
the general knowledge of the character Of Mr.. Mill
er himself.
- There are other features in the complaint, how
ever, which are matters of common knowledge.
These relate to the general reputation OF Mr.. Miller
as a lawyer and a politician. Though not one OF
the older residents of the state, Mr.. Miller has lived
in North Dakota for a good many years. Through
a peculiar combination of circumstances he was
elected to the position of attorney general of the
state while yet a new resident and an unknown
man. Upon the completion of his service as attor-
ney general he resumed his general private practice.
If Mr.. Miller had possessed in any appreciable
measure the qualities which are needed on the bench
if our judicial system is to retain public confidence
and respect, the people OF North Dakota would
surely have become aware Of that fact during the
past dozen years or so. But no such intimation
VI has come to them. While Mr.. Miller has ~practiced
law at times, he has never given the impression OF
being a lawyer of any unusual talent, and such abil-
ity as he has displayed has been that of the advo-
cate, resourceful and persuasive, and not that of the
learned investigator whose opinion carries great
weight.
This is on the negative side. We have on the
positive side evidence of facts which tend actually
to disqualify the man for a judicial position. Mr..
Miller has p~racticed law, it is true. But the regu-
lar practice of law has occupied but a small part OF
his time and attention. His chief business has been
that Of pulling political wires for Alex Mckenzie
Appearing on the. stage at the beginning as an op-
he has been rendered tame and tractable after d
fashion which has become historic, and for several
sNsars: he has performed the errands of Mr.. McKe11,
zie as industriously as Jim Shea has performed
those of Senator McCumber.
The man who has served for years as the resi-.
dent lieutenant of a political boss may be quite suit:
able for certain public offices. but the very fact OF
his service in that capacity ought to remove him
FROM consideration for a place on the federal bench
ST the United States.
I'VE understand perfectly that Miller's conhr-
!. nation will be forced through, as his nomination
was forced, if the powerful political interests behind
him can put it over. But we hope that, no matter
how great may be the odds against them, the mem
bers of the committee who have courageous1y taken
this matter up for the honor of the state will press
their case before the subcommittee, then before the
main committee, and finally before the. senate it.
self if they can secure a hearing. 1t may be posi-.
BE to convince a majority of the senators that it is
neither wise nor safe to force an unfit man into one
Of the highest and most honorable positions that a
q man can fill, in order to pay the political debts OF
promote the political ambitions of anyone.