The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-12
OF VITAL IMPORT:


The Herald earnestly suggests to
the Democrats of Utah the urgent
! necessity of nominating competent
men for judges in the respective judi
cial districts This is vitality important
in all the conventions. The ridiculous
example of the Republicans in this
particular should be a warning. The
dissatisfaction occasioned by their
blunders is to be heard in nearly
every district. Judges must be com
petent, fair, reliable, experienced and
learned in the law. Many of the Re
publican nominees are totally unfit
for the position.
There are some things to be care
fully avoided at the conventions. Do
not select men for judges out of mere
personal regard. Do not choose them
to pay political debts. Do not listen to
the pleadings of friends who want to
find places for men in need of office.
Do not seek to placate aspirants nor
to satisfy the ambitions of persons
who it is thought ought to have
something"
In picking out men for district
judges the greatest care and wisdom
should be exercised. The position is
of the highest Importance to the peo-
pie and to the legal profession. Put
men on the bench who are liable to
err on points of law that need prompt
decision, or who are unstable, or in
experienced, or have not presiding
ability, or who can be swayed by ora
tory, or must depend on the legal lore
quirements, and the evil effects will
soon be apparent.
1t is true that appeals may be taken
to the supreme court. But they in
| volve expense, delay and protracted
trouble and litigation, and they will
be multiplied, if confidence in the dis
trict judge is lacking. If anything,
those officers need to be more active,
thorough, prompt and accurate law
yers than the supreme judges, be-
cause they have to decide so many
points of difference and so many criti-
cal questions, without that time for
"advisement' and consultation which
the higher court can command. The
nature of evidence, the charging of
juries, the maintenance of court
dignity and authority, all require
strong and masterful as well as legal
minds in district judges.
The vast interests involved in the
class of cases likely to come before
the district courts call for the best
| talent in the judges. Mining cases,
water rights, land claims ,and dis
putes, railroad interests, corporate
powers public and private. and many
other causes of litigation involving
large properties and great sums of
money. are among the questions to
be brought before our district courts
! ind they ought not to be entrusted to
ordinary members of the legal profes-
sion, nor to partisans chosen for polit-
ical purposes.
| Men who have had little or no legal
practice and who are unfamiliar with
court procedure ought not to be placed
in these important positions no matter
what good fellows they may be, or
how much claim they may have on
the party or on its leaders and main
supporters.
Put up the best men for judges: that
! is honorable, reliable, able, expert
enced lawyers who can be depended
upon to do right. Party politics ought
| not to enter into this matter at all
But since the Republicans in most in.
stances have made a. terrible botch OF
it, let the Democrats put up the right
kind of men and they will be elected
The need of upright and competent
judges rises above mere party expedi-
ency in the minds of the best people
of all parties.