The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-05-09
OUR U. s. SUPREME COURT.
Should De Electe IA Letter From the
fres1dent of the North Dakota
Farmers Alliance and Industrial

Should he Electe IA Letter From the
President of the North Dakota
Farmers Alliance and Industrial
Union.
Inc supreme court of the United States is
composed of nine justices who receive their
appointment from the president with the
consent of the senate. These nine supreme
court justices represent nine distinct Judi
clal districts of the United States and form
the highest tribunal in the nation. When
vancancy exists in this august court the
president has the power to appoint, with
the approval of the senate
AS politics have great influence in making
the selection of these officials struggle
such as that between President Cleveland
and the senator's from New York, will
sometimes be forced upon the public notice
as an object lesson" to remind the people
that our justices for this high court of last
appeal are too often selected as a reward
OF political service rendered the appointing
power
When that power is indebted to stronger
power, such as the money power for his
election, 1T is but reasonable to assume
that the wishes OF this power will be con-
suited in every appointment wherein they
are interested. 1t is useless to DENY the
TACT that this administration is under the
control of Wall street; or that every mem
per OF the cabinet is in active sympathy
with the money making power; in fact
i1eVe that every member of the cabinet ex-
cept Judge Gresham, is either corporation
lawyer or member of one or more of the
trust combinations which are depressing
the people When we examine the history
or this high court we find that il has often
reflected the political bias of the party to
winch each justice owed his seat
Hence 1t follows that when any party con-
tlnues long in power the great ma ioritv of
thls court comes to be members of that
party. We we'll know that there is another
ana more aStute body of men, whose poli-
ties are only self-interest but who hava
taken very active part in our national af-
Ialrs since 1851 And that it has been i'm
possible for any candidate for Justice of
TINS nigh court to receive his appointment
without their approval.
The great object of this mower is to ,sa
thelr selfish interests by securing the an
eacn OF the great political parties to further
po1ntment Of justices of the court who hold
IDEAS on certain lines favorable to their in
terests, SO that should congress pass any
laws lnlmlcal to their selfish advantage and
an appeal be taken to this tribunal, they
would have friends at court upon whom
they could depend and whose interests
would be identified with theirs
1hat Self-intereSt should have greater
hoid upon men in high official position than
the principles of justice Is one of the most
uemoralizlng factors in our republic TODAY
courts Of justice, high or low are after
All human institutions, and may often be
composed OF very narrow-minded men, who
may ind but little difficulty with their con-
sciences when their personal interests are
concerned. That a court COMPOSED of but
nine men should have power to set aside
and practically annul any act OF congress-
ny majority vote may mean the giving of
autocratlc powers to five justices of this
court over the destines OF cur country
1hen 1t is SO far removed from congress or
nT1n hot
can 1t to account, or remove any member
We Americans condemn the nolicv of C,raot
britain in tolerating the existence of tho
mouse OF lords, who receive their seats
from the crown for life, with the under
standing that the Oldest son shall have tho
seat after the death of his father The only
difference in the case of the lords and our
supreme court is that the chance of birth
taxes the place of the appointing power
ms great high court is the greatest
power IN the republic, and is a greater
power vested in court than that possessed
oS any court in any civilized and enlight-
ened government on earth
No court in England could annul a law Of
parliament That such court. possessing
such powers, should exist. and hold their
positions for life, is one phase of our gov
eminent which is hard to explain and har-
monte with our free institutions. May not
this court become the last bulwark in de-
tense of corporate powers in control of our
government?
In our judgment the constitution should
be changed so that every justice of the SUI
preme court and every judge of a federal
court should be elected by the people for
term of years only. The president vice
president and United States senator's should
also be elected by the direct vote of the
people.
WALTER MUIR,
Hunter, n. D.