Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-08-31
Handsome Tribute to a Political
Opponent.

The present campaign has moi
been without its graceful features
on both sides. While it has been
characterized by an unusual
acerbity in many particulars, the
Redublicans of Santa Barbara
county have complimented Judge
McKiustry with their preference
for the Supreme Court, and the
Democrats have adopted both
Workingmen and New Constitu-
tion party nominees in some in.
stances. In the Morning Journal,
a Republican paper, We yesterday
found the following generous trib-
ute to B. d. Woolf, the Democratic
candidate for Clerk of the Supreme
Court. 1t is from the pen Of gen.
tleman who signs himself Ere
publican lawyer"
However questionable the policy,
1t seems to have become the mex
orable rule of political conventions
to thrust upon their respective par
ties, nominations for every grade
of office, from Governor to Consta-
BILE; and the suffragan is required,
upon his party fealty, to sustain
such nominations irrespective of
the qualifications of the nominee.
The incum bents Of certain positions
become necessarily the eXponents
of political principles, and it would
be a gross breach of party discip.
line for a partisan to disregard O
legislative nomination. But to re.
quire the honest voter to sustain an
incompetent and unworthy candi-
date for Justice of the Peace, be.
cause he has cunningly wound
himself into a nomination, is the
present farce of politics. There are
elective offices. and very important
ones, too, that should be kept scru.
pulously exempt from party strife
and party recrimination. The peo-
pie have wllled an elective judi
ciary and yet how horrible the
sight of judicial candidates crawl
ing abjectly about nominating
conventions, and besmirching
themselves with the slime of a
canvass! There are positions of
high trust which should be award
ed to men of peculiar capacity and
enlarged experience. To nominate
Doors for such stations is simply
monstrous. We should not carry q
valuable watch To q blacksmith for
repair.
We have thought proper to
make these observations introduce
tory to some commentator of an
individual who is before the people
as a candidate for the office of
Clerk of the Supreme Court. We
care not to inquire from what po-
Iitical organization he receives his
candidature. We only know that
Barney Woo!f has faithfully and
creditably for several years past
discharged the arduous duties of
his office, and that he will carry
into that office under the new Con-
stitution, an experienced capabili-
ty that can only be attained by his
Notwithstanding equal abil-
ity = from like experience. We
have reliable assurance that the
Bar Of San Francisco and the up
per portion of the State are sup
porting Mr.. Woolf with singular
unanimity. They pronounce him
the most efficient of clerks, and
deserving of their support other
wise for his urbanity and undeviat-
ing courtesy.
The people of this section, how
ever, owe this gentleman an uuus-
ual debt of gratitude. He labored
diligently and for months with our
legislative delegation to secure the
passage of the bill that awarded to
Los Angeles semi-annual term OF
the Supreme Court, employing his
influence and means to effect such
a desirable result, thus saving to
the taxpayers and litigants OF this
section inealculable expense ol
money and time.
His official and personal inter-
course with the people of Southern
California has ever been pleasant
cordial and winning: To repudiate
an officer of such exceptional faith
fulness and hOnesty-one who has
enacted such an extremely kind
and gratuitous part to us, is uni just
and ungrateful.
1t seems to us duty that we
should continue in office so efll.
cient and incorruptible servant
should support him at the ensuing
election, irrespective of foolish
party bias.