St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-06
IT DESERVES DEFEAT.
A Republican Scheme to Drug
the Judiciary in Pc:
litical Wine.
The Honored Agre ement In
Ramsey County Broken
by Gov. Merriam
When He Ignored the Bar
Body and Appointed
Judge Cornish.
Why Hon. John w. Willis Will
Be Elected to the
Bench.

The judiciary is one of the great co
ordinate departments OF government.
The men appointed to administer that
branch of the government ought to be
men of the highest talent and the most
unquestioned integrity. Other things
being equal, the ablest advocates at the
bar make the best judges, because their
experience and special gifts enable
them to discern the merits of cause
quickly and to analyze it with proper
acumen.
The constitution of the state of Min
nesota makes the judiciary elective at
the hands of the people. This const-
utional provision necessarily makes
the contest for any Judicial position
strictly political one unless some AMIGA
bic agreement to remove such office
from politics is arrived at by the re-
spective political parties. Such an
agreement has prevailed in the county
of Ramsey for many years. The Demo
cratic party has strictly observed its
obligations under such agreement.
Nay, more. the Democratic party
has been generous i'll the extreme
in reference to the judiciary. Nearly
twenty years ago Hon. Hascal r.
Brill was appointed to the bench i'll
Ramsey county as 4 partisan Republl-
can. He had then recently been defeat
ed as Republican candidate for Judge
OF the probate court. He was appointed
Judge of the court Of common pleas by
a partisan Republican governor, Hon.
Cushman K Davis. Notwithstanding
Font tho namncrnrIc marty Of
Ramsey county has never sought to dis
turb Judge Brill in the tenure of his
judicial office. Democratic generosity,
courtesy and forbearance have rendered
it possible for Judge Brill, in Demo
cratic county, to become distinguished
and eminent Judge. The Democracy
could have annihilated him, politically
speaking, at many an election, but IN
stead of taking such course, it has
formally nominated him again and
again for the position which he now
holds and adOrnS.
Broke the Agreement
When the number OF Judges or the
district court was increased to six the
equilibrium between the political par
ties was established by common con-
sent in the personnel Of the bench.
This happy arrangement continued
without question until the death OF one
of the judges, Hon. Orlando SimOns, an
old Jetfersonian Democrat, in the au-
tumn of the year 1890. The governor
of this state, Hon. William K. Merriam,
was then obliged to fill this vacancy;
and, according to all the rules OF honor,
courtesy and political propriety, he
should have appointed a Democrat.
He refused to do so. The Demo
of nn
one conference to consider the subject
of the pending vacancy. At that meet
ing Hon. Charles E. Flandrau presided.
The conference selected the names Of
four Democratic members of the bar,
and appointed q committee to present
these names to the governor, together
with a resolution, adopted by the con-
ference, to the effect that the appoint
ment Of any one of these gentlemen
would be satisfactory to the Democratic
lawyers of the Second judicial district.
Among the names thus presented was
that of John w. Willis. The governor
contemptuously ignored the request of
this conference, and appointed to the
vacant position Oh the bench Hon.
William ID. Cornish, who had always
been conspicuous as an extremely par
tlSan Republican and an active political
worker, even acting frequently as Re-
publican henchman at the polls on elec
ton day, checking all the names of
those who had voted and sending car
riages after Republicans who had not
vet come to the polls. Mr.. Cornish had
never been stump speaker for the Re-
publican party because, as it happens,
oratorical gifts are not Ill his line. He
has been widely known, however, as a
member of political committees. and as
an active and Jealous worker i'll the
Seventh ward.
Fair play is a conspicuous American
characteristic. Ii Gov. Merriam de-
sired to observe fair play in making the
appointment in question he would have
appointed Mr.. Willis or some other
equally able Democratic lawyer. This
he failed to do.
At the recent Democratic county con-
vention John w. Willis was nominated
as the Democratic candidate for Judge
of the district court. Subsequently
the Republican convention nominated
Hon. W. d. Cornish.
The Bar Association
of this judicial district has given no ex-
preston of opinion upon the present
contest. A self-cOnstituted committee,
composed of three lawyers who are in
innate personal friepds Of Judge Cor
nish, circulated among the members Of
the bar a letter of recommendation In
favor of Judge Cornish, which was ad-
dressed to the nominating conventions
of the Republican and Democratic
parties. 1t was an extremely delicate
matter for any member of the bar to re-
fuse to sign such recommendation.
Any lawyer refusing to sign it became
at once marked man, and felt that he
might be placed upon the judicial black
list. This letter of recommendation
contained only these words:
ITO the Conventions of the Respective Polit-
ical Parties of Ramsey County, Minnesota:
"Gentlemen: In view of the important and
exciting character of the political issues, ma
tonal. state and county, which will have the
attention of our fellow citizens at the coming
election, and III view OF the danger that in
such contest the judicial office Will either be
neglected or involved IN collateral contests
the undersigned members of the bar of this
county, feel that there are special reasons
why your attention should be called particu-
larry to the nomination to be made for judge
of the district court of this county to succeed
Hon. William ID. Cornish, the present incum-
bent We earnestly recommend the nomina
ton Of Judge Cornish
That was the entire language of the
instrument. 1t obliged none of the
signers to support Judge Cornish. 1t
did not purport to give any important
reasons why he should receive the nom
ination. 1t is conceded that Judge Cor
nlsh mas no vested right to position OH
the bench.
The Nomination of John w. Willis
for judge OF the district court has been
received with cordially. enthusiasm and
perfect good will by the Democratic
members of the bar. The Democrats
who signed the recommendation which
has been quoted are all supporting Mr..
Willis heartily, with possibly one or two
exceptions. 1t is strange circumstance
in this connection that. although the
letter of recommendation above re-
ferred to is addressed to the conventions
of the respective political parties, it was
not presented to either the Republican
or the Democratic convention. When
the letter of recommendation was pre-
scented to the members of the bar. sew
eral of them refused to sign it. Among
No n