The Minneapolis journal., 1903-01-13
AFFECTS The BENCH
A Plan to Remove Judicial Candi-
dates From Operation Of
Primary Law.
The Present Legislature Is to Be
Asked to Amend the Law
Accordingly.

Repeal the primary election law in so
far as 1t relates to the judiciary of the
state. - = .'-v
This is the plan which is now being agi-
tated by certain members Of the Hennepin
county bar and which is receiving. the
support Of a majority Of the members
of the Hennepin county bench. e..- ESr
An active interest in the matter is be-
ing manifested and it seems certain that
an effort will be made to bring the ques-
tion before the present legislature and to
have some favorable action taken along
this line. The advocates of the measure
are numerous and though no one in par
ticular seems to be taking the initiative,
they are all quietly working toward
common end and the result is likely to be
felt before the adjournment of the pres
ent session of Minnesota law makers. x
1t is argued as the principal reason for
changing the election law SO far as it af-
fects the Judiciary and of returning ito
the convention as a means of nomination
that the present system puts the election
of Judges more entirely than ever before
within the control of politics and draws
the political lines more sharply than has
heretofore been the case. The tendency
Of the past few years has been to lift the
Judiciary above the squabbles Of politics
and in this endeavor the candidates have
been successful. The present move is
intended to be another step In the right
direction and will, it is thought, help to
place judiciary elections upon the higher
plane. 9;:l a;>p.. ,. r~. "... .s...-.,,
J. At present. it Is urged, one candidate
can be chosen Of but one party and the
declaration of party faith that he is
obliged to make before entering the heid
prohibits him from receiving the support
or Endorsement Of members of an oppo-
site political creed. This fact places the
judiciary strictly within party lines
t and makes a purely political oHlce or
what should, by all the laws OF right be
entirely non-parttzan. Another reason
urged by some members Of the bench IS
| that the men seeking election to the office
Of. judge, especially those seeking re-
election to that office, have not the op-
portunity, the time nor the desire to get
| out and attend to the carrying on OF Two
campaigns which are made necessary py
| the primary election law now In force
Outsiders are thus given an ae, aavan'ase u
which they should not beSentitled.
| 1t has been suggested by one OF the
Hennepin county judges that if the law is
not repealed, some provision should a,
least be made whereby the name OF one
man running for office in the judicial de:
partment can be placed on two or more
party tickets. This would do away witt
| some elements Of the present system
which are Objectionable but according te
others it would not entirely remedy the
| defect and they maintain that return tt
| the old convention system would be =:
| better solution of the problem.
Another point urged at the courthouse
is that in order to make the judiciary ap
| solutely non -partizan it will be necessar!
to amend the state constitution and adop
the system Of separate judicial election
now in use in wisconsin. This, 1t il
I claimed, is the only remedy and the enl!
means, Of making the judiciary absolute
ly non-partizan. TO bring about thi
change however would take considerabl
time and meanwhile the workers are max
ing an active effort to have the presen
legislature better conditions by repealinl
the primary election law In so far as
affects the state and county judiciary