Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-03-21
Judges Cothren and Cole.


the State against Judge Cothren's
election is that he was nominated
by caucus Of Democrats, and
hence that he il partisan candi-
date. We fail to see why he is
more so than Judge Cole.
1t is well known that the call for
Judge Cole to become candidate
for reelection was prepared by
some Of his friends early in the
session of the Legislature of this
Winter and circulated among the
members and as may signatures rs
possible secured, 80 as to shut off
any movement that might be made
to bring forward any other candi-
date. IT is equally well known that
this programme was engineered by
the Madison Ring" whose main
idea is TO concentrate all the loaves
and fishes of every kind right in
Madison; that Republicans were
brought into the tmces by the argll-
mcnt that IL was absolutely ncccs-
sary TO elect Judge Cole, or else the
Democrats would have II minority
on the Supreme bench; Democrats
were induced TO sign the call ON
the statement that judicial elections
should be non-paltisan and that
there would be no opposition to
Cole.
Now, il Judge Cole il not the
partisan candidate of the Republi-
can party, why is it that every Re-
publican paper in the State which
has endorsed either candidate IL for
ColeP Why should the Republi-
can papers in Judge Cothren's own
circuit endorse Cole, when two
thirds of them know and believe
TINT Cothron is by far the better
fitted for the position Of the two,
if they have not received their in
structions from headquarters that
it is II political contest and they
must stick by their party.
Judge Cothren is not n partisan.
His election 10y large majority
three years ago in n strong Repub-
lican circuit shows this. On the
other hand Judge Cole always has
been elected az a Republican; The
papers which support him now are
all Republican in politics. The cry
Of dragging the Supreme Court into
politics il raised solely hy Repub-
lican papers which hope thereby to
induce some non-rellccting persons
to think that Cole IL not n PARTISAN
candidate, ltmight M well be adj
mitted by Coles supporters that he
is n Republican AMI supported by
Republicans; that Judge Cothrcn
il n Democrat in politics, and chat
neither are strong partisan, The
only point for voters to- consider is
which would make the better
Judge. Cole has been ON the bench
nearly quarter Of Il century. I'M
that time he of course absorbed
considerable law. He has never
been a strong judge. Ills opinions
are almost invariably common
place. Ills nature has been too
yielding and his abilities too ordi
nary to enable him 10 oppose the
vigorous reasoning and positive
qualities of such men NJ Dixon,
Paine and Ryan, and he is in no
sense M able Judge.
Judge Cothrcn, on the other
hand, is n man Of the people has
a close analytical and logical intel
loot. Ills mind il naturally Il ju-
dicial one. There il not u person in
the State who cum state legal prop
osition in Il clearer or tcrser form. He
is fresh from thu people, and knows
their wants. Ills abilities arc SO
great that IL will not be necessary
for him TO fall into the "rut and
do rs he is told to do by his intel
lectual supcriors. His integrity as
4 man, rs Il lawyer and ~ Il Judge
il unquestioned. His experience in
the law las been much moro varied
and extensive than Judge Coles.
We have endured mediocrity on
the Supreme bench long enough
NW