Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-01

1.:::NHll, I$
When the United States District
Court for the Southern District of
California was re-established q year
ago, and the National Administers
ton cast about for suitable person
to fill the responsible position of at
torney to the Court, the name of Hon.
j. Marion Brooks was from the first
one Of the most prominent for the
place. he was the successful aspir-
ant, and now, after year
ices in his office, it is an
parent to even those who opposed
Mr.. Brooks that no mistake hae been
made. But this was not by any
means the first public office held BY
this gentleman. He has faithfully
and intelligently served the people in
many other capacities.
Here is q brief sketch of his life.
clipped from the columns of one Of
our leading journals some years ago
when Mr. Brooks was q member Of
the State Assembly, sitting for the
district embracing Ventura and Kern
counties.
HON. J. MARION BROOKS.
MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY FROM THE sEy--
ENrY-rIFTH DISTRICT, KERN AND VENTURA
One OF tue leading Democratic 1nou1-
bers Of the House isl Marion Brooks,
who represents the counties of Kern
and Ventura. He was born near
Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County,
KY, September "a, 1850. His father
was native of Virginia, his mother
of Kentucky. He had liberal edu-
cation at the University Of
Kentucky, at Lexington. He
came to California in August
1871, and settled at San Buenaventu-
ra, where he has since resided. He
is lawyer by profession, and one of
the leaders OF the Democracy in the
southern portion of the State. He is
a successful man in every walk of life,
man who wields an influence in his
section and wins the respect of all for
his blunt, outspoken, honest way Of,
dealing squarely with every issue a.
he finds it. He was one of the found
ers OF the Bank Of Ventura. At the
organization of the county, in 1873.
he was elected its District Attorney,
and was reelected to that position In
1879. In 1880 he ran for the Assem-
bly, but was defeated by the Republi-
can candidate by majority of seven
teen votes. At that election Mr..
Brooks ran 400 ahead OF his ticket.
In 1882 he was elected to the State
Senate from the district composed Of
the counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa
Barbara and Ventura. He is one Of
the strongest debaters on the floor of
the House, and defends his meas
ures and those he champions with an
ability equaled by few. He intro
duced many measures, and fought
them all through the House, not
withstanding some were opposed by
the best talent in the House. He is
the champion of the workingman, and
the poor mans friend.
Mr.. Brooks has always been allot-
ted to the most important committees
in all sessions, and in the last Legis-
lature, of 1877, he served on the fol-
lowing committees, to wit: County
and Township Government, Crimes
and Penalties, Judiciary, State Pri-
sons, Public Morals.
Mr.. Brooks wss the author of the
bill (Which is now the law "prohib-
iting minors employed by corpora
tions or persons visiting houses Of
questionable repute," which is noted
among the acts of the last Legisla-
ture as one of the most important.
AT the time he was appointed
United States District Attorney for the
Southern District of California, he was
City Attorney of the city of San
Buenaventura, Ventura county, and
newly elected member of the Legisla-
ture, representing the counties OF Ven-
tura and Kern, all of said offices he
resigned on April 7th, and accepted
his present position Of United States
District Attorney.
MIR. Brooks prides himself ON the fact
that he has never "gone back" on =
friend or violated pledge, and in his
canvasses before the people for legis-
lative honors always pledged himself
to return-and at the end of every
term OF the Legislature Of which ho
was member he returneth to his
constituents, called public meeting Of
his constituents and rendered. an ac-
count Of his stewardship as their rep
resentative-and he has the honor of
being indorsed unanimously by his
people in every instance.
AS United States District Attorney,
Mr.. Brooks is making brilliant rec
ord. He is indetatigable in the per
formance of his duties, and the most
phenomenal success is attending his
efforts in the interests Of law and Or
der. While exercising nice discrim-
ination and manifesting the best judg-
ment in bringing cases before the
court, when he has q case where ~
action will lie he will bring conviction
IS sure as he goes into court with III
case. He is model official ia ovo<5
possible respect.