The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-05-29


while his term laSts-we mean, of
course, local politics.
We congratulate the democracy IT
Texas that this snake has at last
been skotched, if not destroyed en-
tirely.
A Pure judiciary.
No country can maintain its free
dom, its dignity or its responsibility
without law, and the justice and Sc
curity which comes in its train. There
can be no law, in strict sense, where
there is weak, corrupt, or a cow
ardly Judiciary. We can have no other
where the Judiciary depends, uponIthe
popular favor for position. mo viii
lain ere felt the halter draw, with
good opinion of the law" No truer
sentiment was ever penned, and it
bears out the common observation
that no bad man, no dishonest man, no
vengeful man who has received cold
justice in the courts will ever vote for
the Judge who presided and who is
measurably credited with the result.
What then, the judge will inevita bly,
learn that he cannot help it, anymore
than any other politician
but will go to the side Of
the votes. He will reason: If l
charge the law in this case and the
wretch is punished according to the
law and testimony, his friends and
brothers are bankers and property
holders-mel of influence, will vote
against me- Or can make votes by
letting him off. Or which is
still worse, here is man
who is innocent, but the mob
requires victim, I'll convict him and
thus win votes. How can we enjoy
a pure judiciary so long as this thing
goes on, so long as these conditions pre-
vail? And they will inevitably exist
as long as our judiciary is elective.
1t is damaging confession to make,
but it is honest, it is true. Instances
could be multiplied beyond enumera-
ton where these base. vote-grabbing,
decisions have been made. Men are
often placed on the bench to make a
certain decision.
A few years since we saw the thing
applied in distant state. Two
rival railroads were heading for a GER
tain point Their policy was
to obstruct each other and
to get advantage in that way. Be-
tween the point of departure and the
objective point there lay stretch OF
country covered by an extensive
grant. The track over this tract
would be sixty miles. The right of
way an important and grave matter
to each or both roads. The grant was
in litigation and there was plausi-
BILE decision possible for either side.
The d. & R. G. took one side, the D. &
n. o. the other An election for dis
trict judge in the territory of
which the coveted grant was
a part, was pending. The
D. & R. e. put a candidate in the field
followed promptly by the d. & N. o,
with another. Then ensued one of
the most disgusting squabbles it has
ever been our evil fortune to witness.
Money was poured out like water. The
suffregans were corrupted by
wholesale. Train load after train load
of hands were shipped from point to
point by both roads, and voted in a
dozen different places during the day,
in plain, open and unconcealed viola
tions of all law gov erning elections
and with the full knowledge
and consent Of the candidates
themselves-who were only the
paid employees of the rival roads.
What show for law, for justice or
for purity could follow choice for a
judicial officer under such circum-
stancesp And yet, how much do those
men differ from usp There is not an
intelligent observer of events here in
Texas but who has seen the same evils
worked out here in the pern1cious
system which soils the ermine in those
unseemly squabbles for popular favor
which are found in all positions
where such favor is courted, and |
which is entirely destructive of
all the theories upon which |
a judge assumes the functions |
Of judge, to dispense justice to the |
people.
We hope to see the law changed in
some way. 5 me appointing power |
to lift this grave interest far above
the slime and filth of political parts
anship. All good people feel the |
mex essity for such change of policy, |
and the sooner some active steps are |
taken to apply a remedy, the better
It will be for the cause Of justice and |
purity in the land.