Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-08-27
JUDGE HUMPHREY ACCEPTS.
HE BELIEVES IN THE ELEVA-
TON OF THE JUDICIARY.
A Scholarly and Manly Letter from
the Non-Partisan Candidate for
Judge of the Eighth Judicial Dis
trict-Words of Wisdom.

yesterday returned to them the follow
ing letter of acceptance.
JUNCTION CITY, Kas,, Aug. 81, 1891.
HOaorabJeS D, C. Webb, j. r. Mcclure,
J. S. HoIIinger, Committee.
GENTLEMEN:
Acknowledging receipt of your COM
munication notifying me of the action
of the nOn-partisan judicial convention
held at Council Grove on the 10th inst,
and in signifying my acceptance of the
nomination there made, think it is
due to myself in the first.place to say
that did not for moment imagine,
until after the desire to present non
partisan candidate began to take shape,
that should be called upon to stand
as that candidate. And even then l
INDUCED the hope that someone else
would be chosen instead of me. 1t is
well known that have not sought this
candidacy, but that persistently de-
clined the solicitations of friends to
permit the use of my name in this
connection until it became evident that
this was unavailing, or was likely to be
construed as unreasonable obstinacy,
and as a preference of my personal
interests and inclinations to the wishes
of a numerous body of friends whose
Partially and friendship had amply
earned for their wishes my most re-
spectful Difference.
That portion of the people of this
district who, for reasons that satisfy
their judgment and conscience, were
dissatisfied with the peoples party"
nomination, were entitled to call upon
some member of the bar of the district
to accept their suffrages. Fortunately,
this district contains number who are
well qualified for the office of judge
and worthy Of the suffrageS of the peo-
pie. l therefore failed to see in tue
contingencies which had arisen any
necessity to call upon me to possibly
surrender the purposes and plans 1 had
otherwise formed. But l cheeTfully
recognize the obligation thatrests upon
good citizenship to obey a call to public
duty when made by large body of my
fellow citizens; private considerations
must yield to public demands.
If the tender of this nomination had
come to me in response to a personal
aspiration it would have implied such a
manifestation of high personal regard
on the part of large number of my
fellow citizens as to have CONN anded
my warmest gratitude. But this was
not the case. The motives that
prompted it were far higher. Those
motives sprang from desire to main
tain principle which has heretofore
prevailed in this judicial district, and
which it must be admitted, if Discreet
ly employed, may become of imestima-
bic value in maintaining the integrity
and independence of the judiciary,
namely: The elevation of men to the
seat of public justice by non-partisan
methods. In that seat the judge rep
resents more truly than does any
other officer of the government that
equality of all men before the law
which it is the true province of govern
ments to establish. If government
fails at this point it may almost be said
that its failure is total and complete,
for the sole end of government is to
ordain and establish justice among
men. 1t is hardly less important that
confidence in the impartiality and in
tegrity of the instruments through
whom justice is administered should
be preserved unimpaired in the public
mind, to the end that the reign OF law
should be uninterrupted and supreme.
Indeed, a well-founded belief to the
contrary impairs the public credit,
weakens and corrupts the public morals
and brings decay to the roots of every
industrial interest. 1t is therefore in
every way fit and appropriate that, in
selecting from among the body of citi-
zens of the district some one to whose
hands shall be committed the solemn
functions of public justice, the ordi-
nary forms and practices of party war
fare should be laid aside, and that the
resulting election shall create no claims
or obligations upon the incumbent of
that Office in favor of any party or any
individual. This is especially true of
an elective judiciary, The Law hath |
her seat in the bosom of God, her voice
is the harmony of the world, all things
in heaven and earth do her homage,
the weakest as feeling her care and the |
strongest as not being exempted from |
her power. The most efficient and |
faithful service in that Office should or
dinarily be expected where the incum-
bent is made TO realize that the tenure |
of his Office depends not upon the
pleasure of dominant party or clique |
but upon the approval of the people.
The principle of eliminating party |
influence from the judiciary is rapidly |
gaining favor in the public mind and !
there are many reasons in addition to 1
those started for its encouragement.
Public policies which divide parties