The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-04-19
HAVE THE PEOPLE ANYTHING TO say
AHOUT TIT

If judges are to be elected by the peo-
pie, why have not the farmers as good a
right to organize and nominate candidates
as the lawyers? Have the lawyers any
deeper interest in the welfare of the pub
lie, the stability of the government, or the
promotion of Justice, than any other class
of community? Of course not. Suppose,
then that the clergymen were to claim
/ that they know best who would be the
| right sort Of men for school directors, and
that they would agree upon the men and
then the people might 60 to the polls and
elect them? Wouldn't there be a row ?
Certainly there would Would the
preachers candidates win? Not much.
Suppose the railroad companies were to
come out in a card and nominate men for
the people to 20 and vote for? Would the
people submit 10 it? Of course not But
railroad directors and managers are too
cunning TO do this openly. Yet, how many
of the leading, influential, controlling law
yers are attorneys of the railroads =?
There scarcely one in any county in the
State who is not a retained attorney of
some railroad corporation. And these
men make the Judges, who interpret the
iaw-interpret it, too in the light Of by gone
ages and of precedents always favOring the
rich few who Cypress the many. The
great mass of the people, from the sweat
Of whose brows the country is supported,
have a right to be considered in the strug
gle between muscle and money. They
have a right to know whether cunningly
and mysteriously worded laws are forever
to be construed against them and in favor
of their oppressors They have right to
know, not only that candidate for Judge
is honest and competent, but also to know
that, upon questions about which the most
eminent jurists disagree, he is on their
side They have a right to know whether
a candidate for Judge holds that railroad
companies, ferry companies, turnpike COM
pameS, banks, Insurance companies, etc
are public or private corporations
They have right to know whether a
candidate thinks railroad charter is such
contract between the railroad company
and the people that it comes within that
clause ofthe federal constitution fOrbiddiug
legislation impairing the obligation of
contracts They have a right to know
whether candidate believes that one
legislature having granted charter, n
future legislature has the right to alter
amend or repeal it. They have a right TO
know whether 4 candidate holds that u
legislature can give any company Of men
the right to condemn private property for
its uses and place that property beyond
the control of the people through any fu-
ture legislature. These and many more
things the people have a right 70 know be-
fore they east their ballots for ajudge. If
the people have not the right to know the
views Of the men they elect, then the
election Of judges by the people Is farce.
If the people are the s5yeriegns, the source
Of all power, then the people have a right
to know what kind OF instruments they are
selecting to do their work They have a
right to select the instruments to carry
out their will, and it viii he their fault II
they fail to do so