Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-01-31
Is Judge Winslow Non-Partisan :


encing Judge Clementson to become
d candidate for Justice Of thesupreme
court. the Grant County Herald pre-
sents the following strong Indictment
OF Justice Winslow for partisanship
on the bench:
"Judge Winslow is out as a non
partisan candidate to succeed himself
as Judge Of the supreme court.
SIS he non-partisan?
THAT he is q democrat we all know.
The question we put, however, does
not relate to his politics. II r1ay be
better put thus: Has he, upon the
bench. shown himself 10 be uon-par-
tisan Judge? Let indisputable facts
give answer to the question.
I'm March 81. Of the five judges Of
the supreme court, Cole. Lyon, Cas-
sody and Taylor were republicans
and Orton was democrat. ON April
sd, 1891, Judge Taylor died, and Gov.
Peck on the 18th day of May follow
ing appointed Judge Winslow to sue
ceed him. In January, 1892, the Hon.
s. c. Pinney, who had been elected
to succeed Judge Cole in April, 1891,
took his seat upon the bench, 80 that
in January. 1882, the court was com
posed Of three democrats and two
republicans. In April, 1892, by the
courtesy III republicans, Judge Wins
low was elected without opposition
for the unexpired term of Judge fray-
lor, that Is, until January, 1886. In
1891, under the dictatorship Of Boss
Wall, the legislature, with the APP
proyal Of Gov Peck, passed the first
infamous gerrgmander act, which vi
olated the constitution OF the state
by taking parts of counties and patch
ing them together 10 form assembly
and senatorial districts, and by max
ing the number of inhabitants OF the
different districts TO vary greatly, to
4ubserve grossly partisan purposes
On March 22d, 1892, the supreme court
declared this apportionment act void.
And, as the dates above given show,
ii was shortly after the announce
ment OF this decision that Judge
Winslow was elected without con-
test. After this decision Coy. Peck
called the legislature together In spe-
cial session, to frame new appor-
tionment law. The legislature met
In June, with Boss Wall in command,
and passed the second gerrymander
(which was approved by Governor
Peck on July list, 1892. 1t respected
county lines, but III Its apportion-
mcnts was UNANIMOUSLY partisan. 1t
formed one democratic assembly dis
trict with only s,52G inhabitants, and
formed Il republican assembly dis
trict with 25,lli inhabitants. It made
a democratic senatorial district with
30732 inhabitants, ard il shaped one
republican senatorial district 80 as TO
include 65,952 inhabitants, and III the
language of Judge Cassidy, there
were other irregularities, though less
glaring, yet no less repugnant to the
constitution, running through the
" hole act,
Judge Orton, when tile supreme
court set aside The first gerrymander
act, ia his opinion said: This APP
portionmentactv violates and destroys
one of the most sacred rights and
privileges Of the people of this state,
guaranteed to them by the ordinance
~ l7@7 and tile constitution, and that
is, eq,ttd representation in the legis-
laurei This also is a matter Of the
highest public interest and concern.
Ia give this court jurisdiction III this
case. II the remedy for these great
public wrongs cannot be found in
this court. it exists nowhere.
The second gerrymander act was
a great public wrong, in the particu-
lar set forth by Judge Orton, and the
Supreme court was asked to sct aside
this wrong. The act came before
that court for consideration and de-
termination at the August term in
lS92, and on September 2Tth tile court
decided that 1t was void because it
violated the provision Of the consti-
tuition which requires tho legislature
in forming assembly and senatorial
districts To do SO according to the
dunher Of inhabitants. But the de-
cision Was not unanimous. II was
the decision Of four of the judges,
two Lyon and Cassidy being repub-
Leans, aud two (Orton and Pinney)
democrats. Judge Winslow dissent
ed. holding in the face of the consti-
tion that this apportionment ought
tn stand. IN spite of its tiagrant UNI
fairness. That Judge Winslow's dis
sent was due To party considerations
seemed evident That was not SO
long ago H. to make ii hnpertinent
now ta iuQQire. r. Judpa WinsiDN n