The herald., 1894-10-31
POLITICAL COMMENT.
II. A, Bridsford.


Below we give an extract of comment
on the nomination of Hon. E. A. Bridg.
ford from the Oakland Times of Septem-
ber 11th:
An honest, fearless judiciary is the
strongest bulwark OF civil liberty. The
safety of popular institutions rests in the
hands of cur Judges. The wise, just and
impartial sdmin istration OF the laws is
of more Importance than the laws them
selvea. All laws must bs construed by
the judiciary, and there are few who
cspnot recall csses in which popular
statutes we're made odious by judicial
construction which the franers never
intended.
In no branch of the government is the
citizen go deeply and closely interested
his life or liberty or property may be
placed in jeopardy. and at such times
the ark of safety OF the honest and the
innocent is in brave and incorruptibe
bench. If truth and innocence are 10 be
vindicated and crime and corruption
punished, the administration OF the
laws must be in the hands OF men
learned, upright and courageous. LII
citizens would consult their own inter
ests, as we'll as the best intereets OF
society at large, they will permit no
personal orlparty prejudice to warp their
judgment in selecting judges. Thar
personal, property and political rights
are etaked ON the choice of men for the
bench.
No man should be elevated to the
bench who is open to any suspicion.
Judges should be elected who are above
base insinuations. If the voters will be
careful to pick out men of tried probity
and approved learning they need have
no fears of their courts. 1t rests with
the citizens whether their judicial trib-
unals shall be the abode of juctice or
not.
In the election which takes place next
November the voters OF California will
be called upon to elect three judges OF
the supreme court.
Among the candidates named for uu'
preme bench 10 Hon. E. A. Bridgford, at
present the superior judge OF Colusa
county. He is the nominee Of the DEM
ocratic party, but his chief recommen-
dation is his purity OF character, his
record as jurist and his Independence
as citizen. Without rejecting on any
candidate, it must be said that Judge
Bridgford is an ideal man for the su-
preme bench. With great intellectual
breadth and poise of mind he combines
that rare and invaluable quality of judi
cial temper. He is fair by nature and
habit, and all partisan inclinations ara
tempered with keen sense OF justice.
He haa the respect and confidence OF his
neighbors to remarkable degree. and
by none ia he held in higher esteem than
the litigants whose disputes he has arbi-
trated.
Whatever may be said of other ''candi-
dates. the fact remains that the voters
can make no mistake in elevating Judge
Bridgford to the supreme court. He
has no explanations to make. no unfav-
orable Impressions to remove. His life,
his associations, and his judicial record
are an open book. There is no doubt of
his ability or integrity; no stain on his
character, and no suspicion of his im-
partiality and independence. These are
matters worth considering, for they are
of the deepest concern both to the com.
monwealth and the individual citizen.
Voters of all parties should calmly re-
fleet that with Judge Bridgford they are
assured of safety. Napoleon used to
say that lone tried veteran is worth q
dozen untried recruits" Judge Bridg-
ford is just the kind of man the peo-
pie want on the supreme court. Will
they take him?