The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-10-22
Republican Ignorance

Railroad candidates for judicial hon
ors are usually Jolly good fellows
and all that, but not few OF them
might contest with Attorney General
Prout for the distinction of being
known as "Necessity"-because they
know no law. Most of them recognize
the trade mark on Burlington, or
Northwestern, or Union Pacific pass;
but it would seem that some OF them
have never read the statute relative 70
fling certificates of nomination. For
their benefit, let Us. reprint part OF.
section, emitting the parts not neces-
sary for complete understanding OF
the situation:
Certificates of nomination
Of candidates for Office to be filled
by the voters of the entire state,
or any division or district greater :
than a county, including candi-
dates for congress . -. shall be
fled with the secretary OF state,
EXCEPT as in this act OTHER
WISE PROVIDED. :. Certificates
for the nomination of the judge
of the DISTRICT COURT shall be
FILED with the COUNTY CLERK
Of each county embraced in such
judicial district" (Section 129,
chapter 26, page S12, statutes 19O3.)
Now, most any old hayseeu would
know that if he were running for dis
trict Judge he should see to it that the
proper officers of the convention which
nominated him should file certificate
of his nomination with the county
clerk of EACH county embraced in"
the judicial district where he was run
ming. Not one farmer in five hundred
hardly one in ten thousand-would
think for moment that the certificate
should be filed with the secretary of
state, because he would see by reading
the law that although certificates OF
nomination for any division or
district greater than a county, includ-
ing candidates for congress IS. shall
be filed with the secretary of state,
EXCEPT as in this act OTHERWISE
PROVIDED" yet he would see THAT
the act had otherwise provided" for
filing the certificate of his nomination,
by saying, in the plainest of English,
Certificates for the nomination Of
the Judge Of the district court SHALL
5 be FILED with the COUNTY CLERK
Of EACH COUNTY embraced in such
judicial district"
But the republican candidates in
the Fourth, Seventh, Twelfth. Thir-
teenth, and Fifteenth judicial districts
were too busy riding on their railroad
passes and "jollying" the electors, to
take the few minutes necessary to
look up and read the law. The con-
vention officers, too, understood much
better how to get trip passes than to
prepare and file certificates of nomi-
nation. So they saved a little time
by making out one certificate and fill
ing it with the secretary of state.
Then when it became evident that
the names of these candidates could
not go on the ballot, except by petit
ton, unless some quick work was
done, Peanut" Marsh, the political
accident who rattles around in the
secretary of states office, gave out
some startling news to the reporters
and for some days the Lincoln Daily
Star, Omaha Bee, Omaha World-Her-
aid, State Journal, and other papers
were filled with "scare-head" articles
on the subject. His Peanutiness s're-
ferred'' the matter to Necessity; and
SO grave was the problem that Neces-
sity hasn't at this date Saturday
filed an opinion" Anent this, the Bee
says:
1.-THE question asked of Secre-
tary of State Marsh several days
ago as to whether certificates of
nomination for district Judge must
be filed with him to comply with
the law, is still unanswered, and
the time for getting names on the
ballot by petition expires Monday
Unless there is some way around
the law some one is bound to lose
out. OF the few who filed their
nominations with the secretary
very few of them filed with the
county clerks in their districts, so
1t will take some guessing on the
part Of attorneys as to whether the
00kI1T Orhn TlllC