The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-07-28


full authority to direct or constrain
its members to employ particular
lawyer44.a lawyer many of them
may believe to be totally unfit-to
attend to the peoples law business
in the Criminal Court than has any
one of our churches. Why has not
the Presbyterian, or the Methodist,
or any other church, the same
rightful authority to name a can
didate for criminal judge or district
attorney, and compel it's members
to support its nominee, as has eth
err the Republican or Democratic
party? When you are called upon
to send representative to the leg
islature or congress, you wish to
vote for man whose political opin-
ions are the same as your own, for
you wish to have your political
opinions reflected in the enactment
of needed legislation.
"YOu vote for your party's nomi-
nee, although you may think his
opponent the ADLER or the better
man of the two, because you believe
the welfare of the people will rath-
err be advantaged by sending to the
legislature a weak or even an I'M
worthy representative Of sound po-
litical views than by sending an
able representative of unsound po-
litical views. That is the only
ground on which your action can
be defended.
at is necessary that there should
be political parties in country like
ours, and it is right and proper that
the members of each party should
support the party nominees, except
in rare cases, whenever the party's
action is within the limits of it's ju.
risdiction. But-and / put it tC
you as an honest man-what right
or authority has a political party
to dictate the course its members
shall follow outside of the arena o
politics?
off your party should attempt t.
dictate to you what lawyer you
must retain in your own private
lawsuit, or what doctor you mus
call in when sickness visited you
family, or what church you mus
attend, you would utterly reject it
pretension to regulate your actor
in any of these particulars, for thu
reason that it would be an unwar
rantable intrusion in matters out
side of it's jurisdiction. What bet
ter authority has it to dictate t.
you, as one of the public, acting TO
yourself and as trustee for you
other fellow-citizens, what lawye
you shall employ to attend to thos'
lawsuits in which the public is in
terested? You have fully as mucl
reason to reject its pretension il
the one case as in the other.
"Many of us carry our allegianc
to party far beyond what is prope
and right, and permit ourselves t
be made the weak slaves and tool
of selfish, cunning demagogues
who, when it serves their purpose
can themselves wear the part
robes loosely, or even cast them O
altogether; nay, run as Indepent
ents for public Office, and politics
Office at that, while at other time
cracking the party lash over tn
backs of those who are such fools q
to be their dupes, and such dogs q
to wear their collars.
"No matter through what agenc
a man may be nominated to j,
dicial or other non-political offic'
whether by political conventio
or by committee appointed by
political convention or by his ow
mere announcement, the vote
ought to be alone influenced to SUI
port him by conviction of his SUPP
rior fitness for the place. He ca
not, if he is an intelligent, hone.
man, base his support of him G
any other ground and preserve h
self-respect.
. You do not elect an AttOrnt
T General that he may discuss poli1
cal questions before the court al
/ jury. You send him there to argl
. lawsuits, to attend to legal bushes
, and it is not political knOwledg
; but legal knowledge, which qua
, fies him to do that. For my part,
, do most sincerely trust that evel
, voter. that every Democrat and e