Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-09-11
The Judgeship.


affairs in Mower county of which we were
ignorant heretofore. It has been our priv
ilege to spend some time in that part of
the district-to converse with people OF
air classes and of all shades of political
and personal feeling, and to witness, to
some extent, the result of the contest so
long and so pers'stingly waged by Judge
Page on one side, and by the mass of the
people Of that county on the other.
Whatever may be, or may have been,
the opinion of voters in other portions
of the Tenth District as to the relative
merits Of the Judge and those who Op-
pose him, there is no installing the fact
that his fellow citizens-those who know
HIM thoroughly-do, by very large ma
iority, regard him as altogether wrong
and it is manifestly true to any who will
90 among them and observe the state Of
feeling, that he does not have either
the confidence or the respect of only a
very few vi the community in which he
resides.
To many of our readers this may seem
surprising-we confess that it was sur.
prising to us-but it is nevertheless true.
In the rural districts of that county visited
by us, we found at least four-fitths Of the
people expressing feeling Of hostility to
Mr.. Page, while in the city of Austin among
the leading and most respectable business
men the sentiment is adverse to him to 4
degree verging upon absolute unaaimity.
A canvass of that city reveals the existence
of a state of facts which, to one not used
to Witnessing the exaggerated Or extreme
forms Of public opinion, is perfectly ap.
palling.
We confess that we had always believed
that those who accused Judge Page Of
bad conduct were themselves bad men
that they were guilty of corrupt practices,
either as public officers or as private midi
viduals, and that he was maligned for ex.
posing their crimes and attempting ia
bring them to justice. Having little per.
sonal knowledge Of the character Of bis
assailants, public opinion In his locality,
for long time, conceded TO Judge Page
an integrity of purpose and q consistency
of action not at all warranted by the facts
as they have been made known to US. We
are not compelled to rely III holly upon the
statements Of persons unfrlendly to him
to show that Mr.. Page Is TO blame The
logic of events, which is memorable, proves
it. The political control of Mower county
was wrested from Judge Page and bis
adherents six years ago, and 1t has been
uninterruptedly retained until the present
time Notwithstanding the constantly reit
Grated charges of official corruption, pri.
vate misconduct and general debsuchery
opponents, and we cannot but conclude
that their constant and 1nvarying success,
and the enthusiasm with which they are
sustained by the people, indicate not only
an honest administration of public affairs,
but the existence of high degree of official
virtue and individual good morals in that
community which. is so hostile to this
self:nominated candidate for the high Of
flee of Judge. If it were not so-if the
lead ing political managers there were not
honorable men, 1t were impossible that
they should, year after year, delude the
people and steal their substance. They
might do this for season, but to continue
it for six long years, in the face Of a tri-
bune of the people such as Judge Page
claims to be, and under the full blaze of
judicial investigation and argus-eyed
scrutiny, is utterly impossible and compels
the belief, distateful as it is contrary to
our previously formed opinions, as it may
be, that the dishonesty exists rather 10 the
charges against the officers than in the off.
cials themselves. To this conclusion have
we arrived, and we believe that any man
who will examine for himself, make the
acquaintance Of the people, witness their
Intelligence, their sincerity and zeal in
defense of the, good character of their
county officers, will conclude az we have,
that the right is on the side OF those who
oppose the reelection of Mr.. Page, and
that they will decide that the Tenth Dis
tflct ought to have another Judge-such
another as was nominated by the late he.
publican Convention. e. >s'&r '=;-~:
With the conviction that Mirage ought
to retire, we shall labor cheerf1lly and
with what vigor we may be able to pro-
mote the election Of Hon. ]. G Farmer
q man whom we all know to have kind
heart, a sound head, ana an honest pur.
pose. With him at the seat of justice we
shall have . judge whose integrity ID
guaranteed by = lifetime of honest en-.
deavor. ~~
We want peace I'd this District. We
want q man for Judge 10 wh0se. unswerv.
ing Justice and unbiased mind we can
confide- --one who will not soil the judicial
ermine by dragging It through the fillh oil
political and personal detrac:ion-one
who will do his duty faithfully, and live
at peace with his fellow citizens. Zzi
II We elect: Hon. ]. Q. Farmer We shall
have such Judge:-Wyker Doslas
Weekly. - 1a1,*..t H.
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