The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-24
NONPARTTSAN JUDICIARY
Steps Taken by the Bar-General Har-
risOn Elected President.


Messrs. Jewett, Gavin and others discussed
it. The discussion of this paper took up a
great deal of time, and at the conclusion
of it the executive committee offered it's
report. Secretary Wilson read the report.
1t touched On a number of things interest
ing to the Bar Association, and then rec
commended that the association be in favor
of a nonpartisan judiciary for the State.
The report suggested that the Supreme and
Appellate Courts be composed of an equal
number of judges and that a chief justice
be also nominated half of the court to be
of one political faith, half of another, with
the chief justice holding the balance of
power This was opposed by a number of
the members, who held that the court
would still be partisan and that the chief
justice would vote with his party on all
questions. Judge Gavin said he was not
in favor of the report. He believed that the
subject should be fully investigated before
any action was taken.
The association directed that three dele
gates to the American Bar Association
meeting be appointed by the president The
report of the committee on obituary notices
showed but one death, that of William Ed
son Colerick, the young man who was
found dead in the same house with his
sweetheart in FIT. Wayne early this year.
The order of business provided for moth
ing further than the election Of officers and
miscellaneous business. Under this latter
head Judge Lewis c. Walker, of this city
presented a memorial from the Marion
County Bar Association, signed by Lewis c.
Walker, John S. Duncan, John A. Finch,
Smiley n. Chambers, Nathan Morris
Charles Martindale and William A. Pick
ems, a committee appointed to draft the
memorial. The memorial asks that the
State Bar Association do all in it's power to
make the Supreme Court as far as posi-
BILE nonpartisan. The committee was in
structed to formulate some plan to aid in
the work. The following is the plan:
THAT this association appoint a commit
tee of one or more persons of each of the
congressional districts of the State whose
duty 1t should be to present the subject to
the state central committees of the leading
political parties of the State and if posi-
BILE, secure favorable action thereon by
such committees. 1t is believed if the con-
currence of the central committees of the
leading political parties were assured that
no state convention of either of such parties
would disregard such action. This arrange
ment would require that no political party
have more than three members of the
court, and this could be accomplished by
the party having at least two judges whose
successors are not to be chosen at the sue
one place only, and the other party make
three nominations. The result of the cleo
ton would be that the, prevailing party
would have three and the minority have
two members of the bench.
In \ case a political .sSaty Of this charac-
its continuance should be for a period of
not less than four years, and then no adj
vantage could be gained by any party, and
as the experience thus obtained might war
rant. 1t ought not to be said that any
party having the advantage of one cleo
ton, and before the expiration Of the time
agreed upon, would disregard it and under
take to gain an advantage thereby"
Judge Walker spoke at some length on
this subject, and offered the following res
'Resolved, first, That it is the Judgment
of this association that 1t is desirable to
have the Supreme Court constituted so that
not all of its members belong to the same
political party.
''Second-That the president of this asso-
citation shall appoint two persons from each
congressional district of this State Zone
from each political partly, who shall con-
stitute committee to carry out the plan
proposed. and with full power to act in the
premises.
He said that it would be impossible to get
judges who were not of some political faith
and that the only way to keep the court
out of politics would be to adopt the plan
proposed or some one equally as good He
said that he had as much respect for the
Supreme Court as any one and that he did
not believe the Judges of that court would
be guided in any way by their political af-
citations, but that the only safeguard to
make the judges free from any convention
or have to answer to any convention for
their actions would be to take the court
out of politics entirely and make the nomi-
nation and election of the judges merely
matter of form.
Frank B. Burke moved to lay the resolu-
ton on the table. He said that the resolu-
ton or any action would cast a reflection
on the Supreme Court. He spoke very
earnestly in the matter, and declared that
simply because a man was a politician il
did not disgrace him. He said that poll
tician could act just as fairly sitting on a
bench any one, and that his actions
would not have to be answered for to any
political party.
He said that until a better means is found
that the one at hand would answer the
purpose. He said the people of the State
are anxious to the court free from
politics, and that any action of the associa-
ton would be appreciated by them. When
he had finished Mr.. Burke addressed the
chair and, turning to Mr.. Ellison, said
competent to appoint board of managers
for the State ReformatorY that were CONF
petent to do the work we have not every
reason to believe that he could act just as
wisely in the appointment of a supreme
Judge" This caused much laughter AL
bert J. Beverage spoke in favor of Mr.
Burke's motion. and w. A. Ketcham and
Judge Reinhard against 1t. Mr. Burke's
motion failed to carry. and the resolution
OF Judge Walker was passed.
The following officers and members of the
executive committee were reelected unan-
imously:
President-General Benjamin Harrison.
Vice Presdent-John c.. Williams.
Secretary-John r. Wilson
Treasurer-Noble c. Butler.
Executive Committee-The president, vice
president. secretary and treasurer with