The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-10-12
THE SUPREnE COURT,


years ago when the Populists took oc-
casion to break in upon this wise or
der of affairs, and make the judicial
office political one, by making strictly
political nominations for the judges
on the supreme court, and this move
was endorsed by the Democracy. This
year the Populists led off in the same
way, and among their nominations
was that of Judge Willis, of st. Paul,
as candidate for Judge Collins place
on the supreme bench. And the en-
dorsement of Judge Willis by the
Democrats was largely the result
of his work, in which he dragged the
judicial ermine through the mud and
mire in canvass for votes, something
never before witnessed in the history
of the state, and his election to the
| high position to which he aSpires
would be a lasting disgrace to the
states good name, for it would mean
| the lowering of this most dignitled
position to that of a reward for pol1tl-
Cal work. When our courts are handed
over to such men as Interpreters OF
the law, then the stream Of justice is
poisoned at it's fOunt, and its high
character is lowered to the level OF
the ideas of pot-house politicians. The
cardinal principle of Populism is con-
tempt for the existing law, and the
career of Judge Willis upon the bench
in St. Paul, and his fragrant offenses
against the law and justice has served
to make him the ideal candidate of
the Populists.
1t is not surprising therefore, that
the course pursued by Judge Willis,
his INSCRIPTIONS demagogism and the
manner in which he secured an en-
dorsement at the hands of Democracy
should prove utterly disgusting to the
better class of Democrats, who would
keep the stream of Justice undetiled
from such methods. And so from all
over the state has come opposition
from leading Democrats and Demo-
cratic papers to his candidacy.
! There is probably no man in the
state of Minnesota stronger in his de-
votion to Democracy than Judge
Charles E. Flandreau, of ST. Paul. AS
a citizen his character stands unblem-
ished. AS lawyer he stands among
the leaders of the Minnesota bar, and
his ideals of justice are high. 1t is
not strange therefore, that this prOsti-
tuition of seat in our highest court
as a political reward does not meet his
approval. In an address at Winona
on Monday evening last, he said:
OF course we expect this year that
every true Democrat will vote the
whole Democratic ticket, or at least,
almost all of it. We have one name
SOciate justice of the supreme court,
| lists. 1t is clear that he will not, be-
cause of his duplicate nomination, be
allowed to vote both tickets. Now is it
| POpulist, votes for him, that he should
ask this ''various" nominee which
ticket he proposes to vote? Should he
declare for the Democratic ticket
there would not be very much reason
why Democrats should vote for him,
and every reason why Populists should
not. Should he, on the other hand,
declare for the PopuliSt ticket, COM
mon reason and Self-defense abSolves
every Democrat from voting for him.
| So gentlemen, does it not seem fair
| that this candidate should show his
hand? l call upon him thus publicly
| to do so, as unless he does he may fall
between two stools and not get any
vote at all.
OF cOuSe, do this partly in kind
ness to the candidate, and partly be-
cause this is no year for getting votes
on the ''good Lord, good devil" plan,
and l advise all electors that unless
we hear from this gentleman on this
point publicly, frankly, and without
any roundabout equivocation, that
they do not vote for him at all. The
condition is perfectly fair, and the
candidate should not hesitate to full
| fill it, for don't you see that otherwise
we are giving him two chances to our
one?
And the st. Paul Call, which has
opposed the nomination of Judge
| Willis from the first as a mistake on
the part of Democracy, because of his
utter unfitness for the position, en-
dorses Judge Flandreau's remarks as
follows:
There is no better or more loyal
| Democrat in the state than Hon.
Charles E. Flandrau, of St. Paul.
Judge Flandrau's speech at Winona,
in which he called upon his party
friends to repudiate the Populist judi
cial candidate, John w. Willis, has,
therefore, much significance.
The judge very pOintedly takes the
ground that Mr.. Willis cannot run as
the candidate of both the Democratic
and Populist parties. He must choose
the banner under which he asks for
votes, and if he adheres to the Popu-
lists he should be repudiated by the
democrats.
There is no middle ground for Judge
| Willis to occupy, and the advice of
Judge Flandeau to his party is de-
cidedly wise and should be followed.
And how can they well take any
| other DOSitiOn with iuStice RI them