Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1886-10-28
Is This a Free Country?

The New Rockford Transcript in dis
cusslng the legislative candidates and
the charges me- de by tho opponents Of
MIR. Dodge, in regard to his non fitness
for the position because he happens to be
the attorney for railroad and an eleva-
tor company at the same time that he IS
the attorney for indi vid uals, all in the
legitimate course of his profession, cor
rcctly estimates the value of this fact as
a reason why he should not he sent to
the legislature. On this subject the
Transcript says:
"The Carrin gton News flies the name
of j. w. Goodrich for the council. Mr.
Goodrich is the democratic nominee
The News says 1t repudlates Mr.. Dodge
because it believes he is not acceptable to
the people of Foster and Wells counties
as he happens to be an attorney IN the
employ of the railroad and the elevator
company. This is the first instance on
record within the memory of the writer
where mans profession or business, as
long as it was honorable, was used as an
argument against his entering public life.
We never supposed that in this boasted
land Of free institutions, free thought,
free speech, free press and an untram-
melled ballot, man was compelled to
follow any particular avocation in order
to be acceptable to his, fellow citizens as
candidate for office. We don't believe
in that narrow gauge creed of politics
and we don't think the people endorse it.
Abraham Lincoln was an attorney dyed
IN the wool, and he endeared himself to
his couEtrynen; the great and gifted eX-
Senator Cenkllrg, who was once poll
tical favorite, has been a lifelong attor-
ney; SO has Evars, and hosts of others.
These men have all been voted for and
have received tremendous majorities from
the people to whom they were ssccepta-
ble.'
"Now, here is Mr.. Dodge-yes, he's a
lawyer, too! But he has found it to his
financial intere,t TO put in some work for
the railroad and tor the elevator compa-
ny, and is therefore politically G criminal,
and must be downed! How many law
yers, think you, have the people elected
to high positions of trust who have at
different periods IN their lives been in the
employ Of corporations, Or would you un-
dertake to say? If the people OF Foster
anu Wells counties reject Mr.. Dodge and
have no letter reason for doing so than
the mere fact OF his having worked for
one or more corporations, then the Dako-
ia Slftings pities the people of Foster and
Wells counties. On the contrary, sleva-
tor men and railroad men are the shrewd
est of men, and the employment by them
Of Mr.. Dodge in the capacity of an attor-
ncy IS one of the highest tributes that
could be paid to that gentleman's stand
ing as representative of the profession.
Therefore we say, let's take him away
from the elevator and the railroad, and
put him in the ]egislature-he will make
fine legislative timber-our young terrific
ry cannot afford to set such men aside.
Let US elect him and give him fair trial
give the criminal the benefit of the
doubt-and if he don't do the square
thing by US, we can subsequently shelve
him. Surveying mentally the array of
brilliant men who have risen from the
profession of the law to the proudest
posts of honor, we'll may MIR. Dodge ex-
clam-"The atrocious crime or beng
lawyer shall neither attempt to palliate
nor deny!'"