Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-16
THE FEDERAL JUDGESHIP

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THE new federal ~judgeship for
l Montana seems to hang fife.
The other day it was announced
semi-officially that Fred Gibson of
Livingston had been selected for
the place by Congressman Riddick
and Mccormick and the president
would send his name to the senate
soon. Mr.. Gibson is said to be a
high class gentleman and a good
lawyer. AS far as we know he has
had little judicial experience. He
is pretty well known in politics,
having been speaker of the lower
branch of the legislature at Hell
ena. This is a life time appoint
nent. Once confirmed as judge Of
the federal bench there is no way
of removing a judge short of i'm
parchment. That is a thing most
difficult to accomplish. We recall
several instances when it was at
tempted unsuccessfully although
the judges complained of were
certainly guilty of rather gross i'm
p%roprieties, to say the least.
The discouraging thing about
this appointment is that from the
very first it Gems to have been
looked on solely as a matter of
party patronage to be handed out
as a reward for party services.
Every person named as a probable
candidate for the place was first
of all a republican party politician
and worker. We do not think that
these life positions on the federal
bench should be regarded as party
spoils to be given out by members
of congress as party rewards. We
would have been better pleased if
the president had selected some
district bench judge of long ex-
perience for this ~honor--one whose
judicial qualities had been tested
out and found satisfactory. A sue
cessful lawyer is not always a good
Judge, we have heard it said.
The appearance of p~artisanship
in this case gets added emphasis
from the fact that Mr.. Scott Lea
witt, congressman elect, has prompt
ly taken a hand in the game, and
sent a letter to Washington econ
mending a different maj for the
place than the man selected sby the
present congressman. He explains
in a statement to the press that it
is not correct to say that he has
protested against the selection of
Mr.. Gibson, but that it is true that
he let the administration at Wash
ington know that his choice was
M. J. Lamb Of Billings rather than
Mr.. Gibson. He also takes the
public into his confidence as to the
reason why he thinks Mr.. Lamb
should have this life appointment.
He says that ''in giving my support
to Mr.. Lamb my purpose is to
favor a man who is acceptable to
the law enforcement forces of the
state. | feel that the new judge
should be a mar satisfactory to
the organizations that are especial
ly interested in law enforcement"
Nothing is said here of such judi
cial qualities as fairriindedness,
love Of justice, equity, and other
qualities Of a good judge. The
congressman elect wants a mar On
this life job who is acceptable"
to certain organizations who are
especially interested in Flaw en-
forcement." What are these or
CARNATIONS, and what laws are they
specially interested in enforcing!
Mr.. Leavitt is a little vague here.
Probably he refers to the Anti.
Saloon league and Rev. Pope. Per
haps he also includes the Social
Purity league, and other similar
organizations. In these later days
we have to have a different organ.
ization to see that all laws involv-
ing control of the individuals So
cial conduct is enforced. A good
many good men and good wonen
join these organizations and a good
many fanatical people join them
also. They see their special re-
form out Of it's true proportion in
the social scheme. We don't think
that their qualifications for pick
ing out a judge who must act for
all the people on the federal bench
is superior to all other classes in
the community. A good federal
judge ought to be acceptable" to
all classes in the community and
not just a few social reform or
CARNATIONS.
AS this federal judgeship seems
to be regarded as a strictly par