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

district has done away with nominating con-
lventions2 The last one was held in 1850,
twelve years ago. So long asI the judgships
are elective is it not desirable for the people
1 to have something to say about the candi-
dates? BY whose authority have the judi
cial district committees ceased to call con-
4 vention?-Alexandria Post-News
/ Judge Searle and Baxter preside over the
district of which Alexandria and Douglas
county are a part, and it should be said by
1 way of starting that they are as good judges
as there are in the state. This adm,ssio
however, is not intended as an Endorsement
of the plan by which nominating conventions
| in the district have been dispensed with, nor
| does it mean that such policy is a good
thing when carried to such lengths as re-
ferred to by the Post News. The facts, as
''NorthStar Politics. has learned them, are
said to be about us 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 convention; and the nomination is by Pc
tition When Judge Bakers term is up this
work OF lining up the bar is performed by
Judge Searle. So, between these two gentle
men there has been no nomination in the dis
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 all
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 judge S
and the affairs of the district are we'll 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 stu alton
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 1886"
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 e are
satisfactory. 1t 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 notenter into our reelection
of judges. We are in ideal condition
so far as the judiciary is concerned,
a I'd will only change when We find that
re iul5s 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
the 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
something TO say, if he wanted to say
it with or without permission, and will
Jake his own time 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.