The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-06-20

Tie Farmers Party.
4 judicial election took place in Il
linois a little over two weeks ago, in
which two Judges of the Supreme
Court and thirty-one Circuit Judges
were to be voted for The Judges Of
the Supreme Court in that State are
elected by districts, and not by general
ticket. The returns of the election
show that what is known in that and
other Western States as the Farmers
Party" was successful in both the Su-
preme Court districts, and that IL also
elected its candidates i'll very large
majority of the Circuit Court districts.
This "Farmers' Party" i'll the West
has assumed immense proportions, as
is evident from the result of this judi
ciaI election in Illinois, and foreshadows
the speedy dissolution of the radical
party in the Western and Northwestern
States, soon to become the controlling
political power in the country. The
farmers party is composed of "grang-
es," or clubs, and is well organized in
every Western and Northwestern State.
Its oranges or clubs exist in almost
every county, and in some of the States
It's members are said to constitute a
majority of the voters. The oranges,
like the order of Odd Fellows and
scores Of other organizations Of simi-
lar character, conduct their business in
secret. They act independently of
both the Democratic and Republican
parties, as was made manifest in the
Illinois electiOn-both the successful
candidates for the Supreme bench be-
ing Democrats, while the other Judges
elected belong to both parties, but at
the same time publicly endorse the
farmers movement. The leading and
. controlling purposes of the farmers
party is opposition to all sorts of mo-
nopoly, but especially to the monopoly
Of the railroad companies in their
freight charges for the transportation
of grain and other western products to
a market. 1t also demands Il reduc-
ton of represent high protective tariff
and insists upon repeal of the swind-
ling national banking system now in
existence.
In consequence of decision of the
Supreme Court of Illinois in the interest
OF the railroads of that State, as is al
legged, the farmers party commenced
its first onslaught on the Judiciary,
with the result we have mentioned
The decision Of the Court referred to
was delivered by Judge Lawrence, and
against his reelection all the power of
the farmers oranges was brought to
bear, and with decided success.
This effort of the Illinois farmers to
change the law and to elect no man as
a judge who does not sympathize with
them, and who will not consent to car
~ out their peculiar notions on the
bench, has met with severe condemna-
ton at the hands of a respectable por-
tion of the press. We do not think it
ought to create any undue surprise,
since it is merely one of the inevitable
results of an elective judiciary. The
people, when strongly excited, are like
a blind giant, striking right and left at
his asSailants, and will make and un-
make judges whenever the courts pro-
claim the law in. opposition to their
own conclusions Oh question which
closely concerns their own personal in
terests. We admit in all its length
and breadth the fatal consequences to
result from the election of judiciary
pledged to enforce popular whim and
caprice in its decisions. But we are
unable to see how it can he prevented
under our present elective system, if
candidates for judicial honor and re-
sponsibility will "stoop to conquer. 3"
In theory, all our elections are based
on the intelligence and virtue of the
people, and we must accept results
just as the majority see fit to decree
them. The farmers movement has al
ready alarmed the leaders of the radi-
cal party and its effect upon the future
politics of the great end growing West
Will he looked for with increasing in
tereSt