The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-12-29
CIRCUIT JUDGE--A JUDICIAL
ELECTION COMING.

wentworth, Circuit Judge OF this Jul
dicial district, composed of the coun-
ties of Kenosha, Racine and Wal
worth, does not expire until January 1,
1884, one year hence. An election to
fill the Office of Judge, after the expi-
ration of the term of the present in
cumbent, will be held on the first Tues
day in April next, 1888, three months
hence. There appears to be DISPOSE
ton on the part of the people, especi-
ally by the legal profession, to take the
matter in hand early, in furnishing
candidates for the judicial election.
Calls have been circulated in this
county, Racine and Walworth, inviting
John E. Winslow, of Racine. to become
a candidate. for the Office. 1t is under
stood Judge Wentworth will be can
didate for reelection; it is said Judge
Hand, of Racine, will also offer him
self as a candidate. Perhaps there
may be others whose names have not
yet come to the surface. Judge Went
worth has filled the Office number Of
years, and is we'll known to all who
have business in the courts. Judge
Hand has been much in public life,
and is not stranger to the people of
the district. John E. Winslow is pro-
badly less known, for the reason he is
comparatively young man of thirty
two years of age; he has the reputa-
ton of fine legal attainments. and of
respectable standing; he is the law
partner of J. V. Quarles.l
There are differences of opinion as
to the propriety of circulating calls
months prior to an election, commit
ting the people to given candidate. 1t
does not matter how early candidates
are announced, and the people given
time to deliberately canvass their
merits; hasty commitment of prefer
ences, without free interchange of
opinions, does not appear the wiser
way. After the constitution of Wis
consin was framed by the Convention,
and submitted to the people for adop-
ton in 1S48, almost the only sections
which elected earnest discussions
were those relating to an. elective jul
dietary. The merits of this system
over that Of the appointive were more
thoroughly debated in the newspapers
and in public meetings than any other
question relating to the organization
of State government. The people de-
cided they would elect their Judges
the same as they elect their Governors
Senator'S and other officers. It is there
fore just as proper to commit voters
on paper three months in advance of
an election to vote for a particular
candidate for Governor, Senator or AS
semblyman, as to indirectly pledge
them to judicial candidate. The
plea that judicial elections should BE
is an impractical theory;
\ judge without any political creed
would simply be an imbecile, for every
man of intelligence is presumed to
have political opinions. All that the
people have right to expect of a
Judge on the bench is, that he shall be
impartial in his legal dispensation of
Justice. There is no good reason why
he preliminary steps to a judicial cleo.
ion should be conducted on different
principle from that of other elections.
The time-approved custom of calling
which, as near as practi-
able, may embody the will of the peo-
lie, is the safer way, and had better
lot be departed from. The choice of |
for judges of courts cannot |
together be referred to the preferences
f the legal profession. Our courts are
he tribunals of justice for the whole |
people. 1t is urged that judicial cleo
ions should be divorced from politics, |
ut the history of the election of judges |
y the people in Wisconsin, for the |
asst thirty-four years, does not show |
single instance of judge elected |
rho did not have political party pref