The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-05-19
Is there any good reason why this judicial

Is there any good reason why this judicial
district has done away with nominating con-
ventions? The last one was held in 1885,
| twelve years ago. So long as/ the judgshps
are elective is it not desirable for the people
| to have something to say about the candi-
| dates? By whose authority have the judi
| cial district committees ceased to call con-
Observation-Disclosures Post-News.
Judge Searle and Baxter preside over the
district of which Alexandria and Douglas
| county are part, and it should be said by
/ way of starting that they are as good judges
| as there are in the state. This adm ,ssion,
however, is not intended as an Endorsement
OF the plan oy which nominating conventions
in the district have been dispensed with, nor
does it mean that such a policy is a good
thhg when carried to such lengths re-
ferred to by the Post News The facts as
''North-Slar Politics has learned them, are
said to be about as follows: When Judge
Searle's term is up, Judge Baxter starts the
ball rolling; members OF the bar are pledged
by partition in advance of the usual time for
the conventions; and the nomination is by pc
ttion. When Judge Bakers term is up this
work OF lining up the bar is performed by
Judge Seare. So, between these two gentle
men there has been no nomination in the dis
trict since 1886. The scheme works like a
charm. The newspapers usually take the
matter up with the leading lawyers the
judge who is about to retire is urged to please
accept another nomination. he consents al
opposition is choked Off, and the petition for
nomination is straightway fled Now, l
have no opposition to Judge Searle or Baxter,
either personal or political They are splen-
did gentlemen, good republicans, good judges
and the affairs of the district are well cared
for by them: but do know that some of the
best republicans up there are thinking that
this matter of nomination by petition has
gone about far enough, and that it is time the
plain people had a word to say.
The Jerry j., is neither as happy
nor as accurate as he usually is in
this discussion Of the judicial situation
in the Seventh district. The purposes
of the election is to secure "splendid
gentlemen, ''good judges" and to
have ''the affairs Of the district we'll
cared for" This has been conspic-
uously accomplished ''since 1885,"
Why then should a convention be
held. The people have everything to
say about the andidates-they say
they don't want any others, thes are
satisfactory. It is within their
power to nominats other candi-
dates, if they feel so disposed. No
it is the pride of this district that poll
tics does not enter into our reelection
of judges. We are in ideal cOnditi en-
so far dis the judiciary is concerned,
a I'd will only change when We find that
re iulGs are not "satisf actory" Now,
If by the ''plain people, who ought to
have something to ''say" he means the
able and genial gentleman who makes
5he Post News the brilliant paper it is,
he is not fair. In the first place
Charlie Mitchell is not ''plain,'' but
wholly handsome-and he would have
to say, if he wanted to say
It with or without permission, and will
lake his own t me for saying it.
Judges Searle and Baxter have new
ar played into each others hands in
the way indicated above. The move
nent has been spontaneous by bar
and laity.