Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-03-20
Tne Judgeship-Who Should Be Elec
ted, and Who Should Elect HIM

The Spring election will be held
One week from next Tuesday, which
will be April LIST. At that election
the usual town officers will be chosen
and an Associate Judge of the Su-
preme Court is to be elected. The
Supreme Court is now constituted
OF five Judges. Until last year there
were but three. The Chief Justice
was and is Samuel Ryan. He is a
Democrat. He was elected without
opposition by the Republican party.
The Republicans were in power and
had no doubt Of their ability to elect
a Chief Justice from their own ranks
If they chose to do so. But two of
the members were Republicans and
they thought it only fair that the
Democrats should have one. They
permitted his election. Last year
when two judges were 10 be elected
the Republicans had at the preceding
election chosen. all the State officers.
They had reason to believe that they
could have elected both Republican
Judges had they chosen to make nom.
nations. But they agreed to let the
Democrats select one of the candi.
dates and they would select the 9TH
er. The candidates were, through
out the State, placed upon the same
ticket. Republicans voted for the
Democrat. Both were elected with.
out opposition and their votes were
very nearly eqaal. These facts show
that Republicans are capable of set.
ting aside party preferences in the
election of officers who have no
contentious to make over party issues.
1t shows that they do not always re.
gard party or Office above manhood
and that they desire to acknowledge
the brotherhood of man even in De-
mocracy. 1t shows that,their object
in having party is to choose men
who will carry out their principles,
and whea they engage in choosing q
man for some Office or business where
their principles are not involved they
do not care whether.he is a Democrat
or Republican. Now. are Republic
cans respected in the same manner by
Democrats? Is party with them
matter of principle or is it a thing of
business? Do they want Offices for
the sake of their principles. or for the
sake of the bread and butter and pow
er there is in them. They offer us
a test. This Spring the Republicans
made no nomination for the Judge
ship. Members of the Legislature
joined, without regard to party, in
call on Judge Cole to become can
didate. They did so because of his
peculiar fitness for the place. Lead
ing men In different parts of the State
have joined in the call. Judge Cole
has never been party man. In the
twenty.four years he has been upon
the bench he has never taken part in
party politics. Unless Democracy
means enmity to all of humanity who
are not Democrats there is nothing in
the way of Democrats voting for him,
and thousands of the most considerable
among them will do so. But the
party leaders appear to think only Of
spoils. There is chance for an Of.
fee and the fittest man in the State
must be put aside, If possible, for one
Of their own extreme partisans. They
would push away man, pure, able,
experienced, incapable of party or So
cial bias, and take up a man whose
Democracy sticks tc him like the hab-
it of drinking to an old toper-he
could not quit his Democracy if he
would.
This is the situation. Now what
may be expected of those who read ?
There are great many Democrats,
especially in Grant County, who have
protested to hold that parties should
not nominate Judges. Will they con-
sistently stick to their faith at the
next election There are many 9th.
ers who have protested to hate both
parties--the Democratic and Republi-
can-and have vowed henceforth not
to vote for the nominations of either.
What will they do? Judge Cothren
is regularly nominated by Democratic
party machinery. Judge Cole is not
nominated by any party. Will this
class of men vote consistently If
they do, and if all men in Wisconsin
will do their duty April LIST, Judge
Cole will be elected by $4,000 major
ity. But remember, good men, you
v,ust oil no on hand