The sun., 1891-11-16
The Farmers Alliance and tho Judi
ciary.

ClNTy.
One Of the most satisfactory features Of
the recent elections is tho defeat Of tho can
didates for judicial office nominated by the
Farmers Alliance In Kansas.
Some time ago that organization made
itself ridiculous by nominating and electing
District Judge wholly ignorant of the
law. who. before no took his sent on the
bench. had TO be sent to q law school after
election In order to gain smattering OF
knowledge concerning legal principles. At
least 1t was stated in the Western papers
that no was to 90 to such an institution. and
we suppose he went. However that may
By, he has since distinguished himself by
deciding cases. especially mortgage fore
law and In defiance Of decisions by the Kan
sas Supreme Court.
1t seems that the Intelligent people Of Kan
sas have had enough Of this sort OF thing.
At the recent election, there being two
Judges to be chosen. the Republicans and
Democrats united In support OF the Repub-
llcan candidate in one district and of the
Democratic candidate in the other. and
thus overwhelmingly defeated tho Farmers
Alliance. There Is evidence that the people
OF Kansas generally are beginning fully to
appreciate the injury which their State has
suffered in its material interests from tho
success OF the Farmers Alliance In putting
one unfit man upon the bench, and from the
apprehension that they might succeed In
electing more such Judges, Hence the
union OF the Republicans and Democrats
this fall In favor of good judiciary,
irrespective OF party
This is pleasing sign OF good sense in
the West, Kansas has almost always had
good courts. Tho State Ia now represented
in the Supreme Court of tho United States
by Mr.. Justice BREWER, who was formerly
q Judge Of the Kansas Supreme Court: and
1t is only natural that the people of the
State should desire to maintain the high
character OF the judiciary.
In O sister State OF u similar name not
very far from Kansas the public does not
seem to DO equally alive to the necessity OF
having good courts. The Probate Judges In
Arkansas are many OF them so Incompetent
that their proceedings are most scnndalous:
and as the Probate Courts In Arkansas arc
tribunals Of superior Jurisdiction. In which
MI irregularities nre cured by final iudg-
ment. tho harm done by tho careless meth
cd in which they arc administered is very
great, In tho latest volume of that admi-
yable series OF law books known as the
American State Reports" we find IN opin-
ion OF the Supreme Court OF Arkansas In
which the probate system OF that State Is
thus scathipgy criticised:
The Probate Judges are not required to be and
usually not lawyers In many instances they act
without knowledge or consideration OF tho reach
ing effects OF what they do, The most important
interests the guardianship Of widows children aud
estates committed to their superintend care
Some possibly are dishonest: many are not wise or
discriminating. Taking into account the magnitude OF
the property interests which they have In charge,
these courts should be required to proceed In exact
conformity to law instead of being panopiiod by the
presumptons which attend the exercise of superior
jurisdictions by other courts When SEQ day after
day tho Inheritance Of infants sQuandered by the dis
honesty or frittcred away by the ncompsency OF ad
mlnstrators and these actions irrevocaby legti
mated by the approval of facs courts submit that
1t Is time to call halt"
Arkansas should look to the Northwest
and initiate the example just set by Kansas
In the recent judicial elections In that State.