The Alaska daily empire., 1922-10-30
AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDEN1.'


The unwalranted and unfounded attack made by
Delicate Sutherland last Saturday night on Judge
T. NJ Reed and t. s Attorney A. G. shoup is cause
for regret to all good citizens regardless OF poucal
affiliations it is not in the interests OF gped
government For al individual in the capacity OF
private citizen tC have made such an attack Woulu
have been detrimental enough but for one occupying
the position held by Mr. Sutherland to do so is
well nigh inexcusable. ..---..~.
The TRADE against these two officials BIZ the Dele
gate does not surprise The Empire for 1t has beenl
for years familiar with the petty political methods
of Mr. Sutherland and his personal guerrilla warfare
against individuals who dared to differ from him.
His official life in Alaska is fun of incidents which
parallel that his speech Saturday night. lie has
not changed from what he in the days he held
forth upper House of the Territorial Leglsla-
ture except that his ego has become greatly enlarged
and longer puts his thumbs in the armholes OF
his he struts before the public gaze
Two officers in the First Division l am greatly
disappointed in-greatly disappointed in he de-
clered in referring Judge Reed and District At
torney Shoup. That is reason for their lmpeach-
ment. Perhaps the officials if they were so
inclined might say much regarding the Delegate
and fnda greater following locally than the Dele
gate does in what he has said Many men have dis
appointed Mr. Sutherland and still retain the respect and
confidence Of their fellows in greater degree than
possesses it, Having proceeded to proclaim his dis
appointment, the Delegate, then set up his ndict-
ment With the connivance of the District Attorney
he alleged, Judge Reed appointed Democrat as T. s.
Commission at Ketchikan. Stripped of its 7verbiage
constituted the charge True he charged that the
Interests" specifying cannery owners and Bankers
dominated the situation Ketchikan and desired the
appointment. Why the of the word interests?.
Why net openly say that the most prominent citizens
and business men of Ketchikan endorsed. the appoint
ment of the man Judge Reed put into office? There
is nothing reprehensibe about that in fact, nothing
that is common, nothing that is other than
mendable. -4--.t.
The Commissioner, whose appointment led the
Delegate to make such an outrageous attack has been
in office almost six months If in that period he has
failed to measure up the standard of ofhis pre-
decessors in office, if he has not conducted himself
in accord with the requirements of the position he
holds if he has been other than impartial Judge,
it is yet to be reported Even the Delegate, who
in his blind attempted cloud the issue by
alleging unsavory reputation attaching to- the
appcintee from residence in Interior Alaska lacked
the temority to charge any lack of qualifications
any shortcomings. If there had been such
charge does anyone doubt that he would have
made 1t?
The Delegate is dspleased by the appointment Of
Mr. Morrssey because the latter is not politically
friendly to him. nor inclined to further his political
ambitions. That he makes the appointment the sub
ject of vicious personal attack Judge Reed and
Mr.. shoup indicates that he has constituted himself
1.-THE big boss and intends to read the riot taGt. to
any official who has the courage to recognize the
wishes of local residents if in doing he has not
been first consulted and his approval obtained Does
the Delegate plan to build up political machine
through the medium of judicial appointnens? Is
that his idea of good earthly courts of Which he
pirates? One would be justified in concluding in
view OF the Importance which he attaches ito the
incident. sE. I'll /, :
The Empire holds brief either Judge Reed
District Attorney Shoup and neither of them need
to have defense offered. Both gentlemen hon
orable capable officials and upright American
citizens. But they have the nceties ther official
positions observe and a consequence nrist per-
force endure in silence such attacks this. That
the Delegate governed likewise by CONSUL
Grafton of the dignity of his office but offers
further proof CT his unftness hold it, If ne had
charges to bring against Mr. Morrissey which involve
the conduct of his office that tend show that ne
has violated the oath he took when he entered Office,
and has made them in the proper manner to the
proper authority, which he did do, without OBJ
tanning action then and until then would there
be the slightest justification his
such circumstances. his procedure would be question
able. If he believed that the courts being pros
tituted he in effect charged. his redress does not
lie in the ballet box but in the office of the Attorney
General of the United States who unmakes well
makes U. S. Attorneys and Federal Judges
Why then did he throw this question into
political campaign? Is it possible that he gave the