The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1883-05-17

JUDGE JOHN MARTIN, Of Topeka,
is receiving little scolding from Ger.
tain members Of the Democratic party.
The Judge has been . lifelong Demo.
crat aud an acknowledged leader Of
the Democratic party. He was NOM
mated for Governor last summer at
the Emporia convention. but being
unable TO indorse the -law-breskipg
platform" promulgated by that gath
ering. he declined the henur which
was afterward awarded to Click. Not
many months afterward. there was a
vacancy In the Office Of Judge Of the
Judicial District in which John Mar
tin resides No one in the district by
his distinguished reputation rs law
yer and natural talent for the position
was 50 especially fitted to he appointed
rs John Martin. Click was very
backward about honoring him with
the appointment. but he was COM
PEELED 10 do so in accordance with the
public demand. and John Martin was
made Judge. Immediately the law
breakers thought they had friend
upon the bench on whom they could
depend, and commenced asserting IN
rather public way, that they would
never suffer punishment for their law
defying acts at the hands of Judge
Martins Democrat and an appointee
of Gov. Click. Imagine their con-
sternation when they find that Judge
Martin il as firm i'm the enforcement
Of the law a. the most radical, fanat-
zeal Prohibitionist could possibly
be. and no offenders are being white
washed i'm his court His position on
this question Is illustrated by the fol-
lowing incident published in q To-
peka paper:
In one instance. when the county
attorney was examining q juror, and
after asking him a number Of ques-
tons, Judge Martin took him In hand
aud said:
You say you know the defendant"
"ies SIR"
Have been to his place Of business
fre9uentiy?:,,'
Have you formed any opinion as to
what kind of business he carried on"
mo sir"
"You say you visited his place Of
business often ~
"Yes SIR"
"Saw him transact business while
there? pr
"Yes sir"
Ibid you drink anything while
there
"Yes sir"
Ibid you form any opinion as to
what il was you drank ?"
mo SIR"
"Stand aside; no man IL competent
to sit on n jury who visits place of
business and cannot form an opinion
"a to what kind of business he carries
on, and is unable to form an opinion
As to what he drank.
This abundantly shows that John
Martin proposes to have "no monkey
ing" Not only is he taking this po-
sition on the bench but he has writ
ten To various Democratic leaders
throughout the State that the Demo-
cratic party cannot afford to endorse |
'lawbreaking." Neither Republic
cans nor Democrats'can afford to shield |
the Iaw-breakers. IL will be death To |
the party that attempts it. Many a
man may not endorse prohibition,
and may consider il very wise and
but there are thous-
inds of voters holding To this belief |
who will say "enforce the law by all
means, 50 long as il remains upon the
statute book" When il il found that /
i cannot be enforced (which has not |
vet been provenl-then il is time To
ak about doing array arith R-not dis
it, We do not believe the
party, a. a party, will
sver adopt i'm its convention such a
aw-breaking platform as..it did at En-
Doria. such n move i'm the future
would only result in putting the party
pack ten years in growth.