Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-05
THURSDAY, JANUARv'5. 1893.
ABOUT JuDICIAL APPOINTMENTS.

The members of the Los Angeles
county bar had meeting on Tuesday
to try ana agree upon name to bepre-
seuted to Governor Markham in the
matter Of the appointment Of Judge
Sharpstein's successor. 1t 10 OF small
moment that much diversity of opinion
has been shown in this thing, and that
MANY reirained from acting 81 all, be-
cause they wonld rot be bound by the
result, as it was announced they were
expected to be, but it is not Of small
moment that in all the circulating OF
petitions, ard in all the canyassing for
votes IN the public meeting, it did not
seem to occur to any person that It was
of the smallest use to even suggest that
the appointment would be made upon
any but party lines and general political
considerations. sAsag
There ia not another state in this
whole country, 60 far as one can judge
by what he reads, in which it has not
been the policy, all these later years, to
try and lift the judiciary out of partisan
pOtAiicS. 4OuIy q icU oaJn o6o - ~ W
England Democratic governor nomin-
ated a distinguished Republican lawyer
to tie eupreme bench of the state, and
the set was approved and applauded by
every body. In New York it is the de-
termined purpose of the bar of the state
to purge the judiciary of even the sus-
picion OF party Dias that would un-
duly i. fusnce its members. And what
is true of these TWO states is becoming
substantially true of all the eastern
communities. @@ a st ~ 4
This gfowthsis wholesome. 1t is one
OF the blessed signs Of better things. 1t
rests upon the broad lines of fitness and
worth and the eternal laws Of propriety
and decency. 1t is not a fashion, fad
or mere sentiment. 1t is not even q
change OF policy, bat the quiet taking
up Of old lines-old as Jurisprudence
itself. In the making of federal court
appointments, also, the habit OF even
ing up" things between the two parties,
or, better still, Of absolutely ignoring
politics altogether, seems to be the rule
and not the exception. Both Harrison
and Cleveland have given US notable
examples of this better way, and it is
only fair to say that President Harrison
has done most excellent eeryice to bis
country on this behalf.
II there be one branch OF the govern
ment that ought to be absolutely inde-
pendent OF politics it is the judiciary.
For it's own sake it ought to pray for
delivsrance from every phase or possible
suspicion Of party influence. So strong
is this conviction among fairlminded
and thoughtful men that we may fairly
hope no community which has shown
advances in this direction will ever go
back to the old order, and that no conn
munity can long stand out against the
set of the tide. as
1t is not alone by ignoring pari-
zan lines that We get greater indepeEd-
ence OF character and greater freed m
and safety OF administrators but it is
only by eliminating politics from the
judiciary that we shall ever get the best
equipmentin learning, the best :a'isli-
ties of mind and character end the
judicial temper. Can California afford
to ignore these considerations We do
not make eny attack upon her courte,
nor on the gentlemen whom Ahis region
has been, honoring by election and ap-
pointment TO the bench; but 1t is made
painfully apparent on occasions like the
present, when canvsssing 5ssgoing on to
promote men to the highest judicial
honors, that no public nor private ex.
preston is heard in favor Of appoint
ments irrespective OF party lines. II
does not appear to be within the range
OF belief that the governor would feel
called upon or permitted to go outside
Of his own party TO make an appoint.
ment to the supreme bench, although to
do so might be the easy way to make
the appointment 6 real triumph OF manly
independence.
The good seed is being sown, and some
day the geu'ls winds will bear it to these
parts; and ii not quite yet, it will some
tune be- made TO appear that the best in.
tereets oi every community demand that
no appointment TO the bench can ever
more be held to be q spoil of party roli-
tics. What oeautiful and blessed thing
it woald be il in this very new year o.
grace Governor Markham might find il
in his heart to perform some acts &C
gracious in their nature thgt they are
only rart ly given to men to performi
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