The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-09-23
A REPUBLICAN COURT.

1.-THE constitutional amendments in
Maine are to be effective as to this cleo
ton if the republicans have q plurality.
But If the fusionists have plurality it
will be unconstitutional for the amend
ments to apply to this election. The Su-
lorenae court is republican.
The above extract is from the Mil
yankee Sentinel of Friday last and ex-
presses the situation so far as the iudiei-
airy is concerned, fully and clearly. On
the political questions the political af
filiations of the Judge and not his sense
of right nor considerations of law, de-
termine his decision. That this is so is
something to be deplored but not to be
gainsaid. The electoral commission Is
the gigantic fraud which threw its bale
full shadow over every honest impulse
against corruption On the bench. 1t was
here that the supreme court of the United
States surrendered Internationally to
the republican party and set democrat
izing example to the Maine court. The
court and partisanship now flows from it
in lieu Of justice. This is the cost paid
for the seating of Hayes in the presiden-
tial chair. The department of govern
ment which should be looked to with all
the reverence which superior wisdom and
high minded integrity can inspire, is
despised for its weakness and proved cor
ruption. Do the victory of any party for
e brief period and the spoils which are
its corcomitant, compensate for the de-
| graduation of the highest tribunal in the
land Does the republican party de-
serve well for not only destroying conf
dence in such an eminent tribunal, but
making it byword and a reproach? Re-
| publicans may gloat over victory Sc
cured at such cost and by putting for
ward false issues conceal the enormity of
the offense and for short period dis
guise the danger. But the participation
of the supreme court in the electoral
! commission and the brazen defiance by
the judges of every principle of honesty
is more fatal stroke at the principles on
which the government is based than the
rebellion inaugurated by the South.
The supreme court of Maine followed
the example of the higher court with al
acrity notwithstanding the qualification
of reversing former decision of the
same body. Republicans have assur
ances that in contest involving ques-
tons on which depend their continuance
in power they may rely on the political
complexion of the court. If it be neces-
sary in order to elect Davis to throw the
election of governor into the Legislature,
it will be done and the amendments will
be declared unconstitutional for the eff
fectuation of this project If Davis has
secured plurality and the exigencies of
the case do not demand the setting aside
of the amendments as unconstitutional,
the court may be relied upon to at
firm their validity, This is the sit
uation and this is the position oc-
cupied by the courts having majority
of republican members. Time was when
it would be considered an offence which
the peoples sense of propriety would
resent, to speak of the politics of court.
Now it is a we'll recognized feature and
very important one in determining party
victories. Courts are part and parcel
OF party machinery, the last resort for a
party which has lost the confidence of the
people but retains the machinery of the
government. In party sense the Sem
tinel is indiscreet in thus frankly stating
what every one feels to be the truth. The
supreme court of Maine is republican
and so is that of the United States.