West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-10-27
NON PARTISAN JUDICIARY.
Hon. Neil J Fortney for Judge and
Why lie should be Elected.

N'"i'"h on last saturday endorsed AM
nominated Hon Neil Fortney Of Preston
County for Judge Of tins Judicial Circuit
Mr.. Founey had already been nominate,
for ,ha, office 10y petition which is one Of tn
methods provided by law for the nomination
of candidates for Office and the democrat,
convention endorsed this nomination mad,
10y the people and themselver made Nc
Founey also their nominee.
MI Founey is personally known 10y ou
people as an intelligent, genial man o
mature years and as a learned and experience
ed lawyer who for many years has had :
large law practice in Preston and adjoining
| Counties and who is exceedingly wei
equipped to go upon the bench as Judge Of
his circuit.
Mr.. Fonuey has always affiliated with the
Republican party and has always taken an
active part in party affairs and owing to thi'
fact there are some Democrats who seem tc
! question the propriety Of the action Of the
! Democratic convention in endorsing hi,
candidacy and there are Republicans who
] criueise MIR. FoHney for eonsenting to be-
come candidate for Judge against the
Republican nominee, Judge Holt, who is the
present incumbent
! OF all persons Of both political parties who
are inclined 10 chticse either the action OF
the Democrats judicial convention or the
action Of MI. Founey in conserving to
become candidate for Judge against the
| regular Republican nominee we would ask
/ that you with hold your criticisms until you
have taken time to fully consider the i'm
porianee If the situation and the questions
presented before passing your judgment OF
deciding how you intend to vote.
The Judge of your Court has before him
to be passed upon by him the rights, liberties
and property Of as many people Of one
/ political party of the other and IL he IS a
| just Judge hepolilics of the ltigsnis will
| have absolutely no weight or effect in the
! determination If the case: the high and the
low, the rich and the poor, the corporation
and the individual will al stand equal
before him, and while this is true, yet we
are all mortal beings and many times liable
TO be uuconsciously swerved by personal and
| political ties from the strict line of right as
we see every day in the conduct of our
neighbors and friends in whose uprieh,ness
and integrity we do no, have The slightest
doubt: Experience and observation h ;
taught us that the judges Of our courts are
no less mortal than ourselves and while we
! give them full credit with an intent to be
| just in their decisions, yet when they have
obtained their nominations and election by
the tricks aud devices common to politics
and hold their Office as the result of such
political devices and political questions come
before them the decision of which one way
would aid their party OF personal friend and
a decision the other way would ujure their
| party or personal friend, or where two
! litgaals come before them one OF whom is
their political friend aud has aided them to
obtain their office and the other their
| political enemy who fought them in obtain
| ing their Office We many lines see unmisiak-
able evidence Of bias in the decision Of the
! Judge: This should not be; when the man
| becomes judge there should be neither
| friend or foe and this principle is recognized
| by all jusuS thinking men regardless of their
party affIialion and accordingly there is a
very strong sentiment among all just men
! who want TO see right and justice dispensed
by our Courts, TO withdraw the election Of
our judges from party, politics and place
men on the judicial bench who are as far
removed as possible from political control
aud binding personal friendship and 1t was
/ with this object in view that hundreds q
the voters Of this Judicial Circuit peiitioued
/ Mr. Furney to become an independent
candidate for Judge, and he having consent
I ed aud announced himself as an independent
candidate free Of all party control OF
| personal influence when the Democratic
| Judicial Convention assembled in Grafton
and being composed very largely Of lswyers
who were anxious that there should be a
| Judge on the bench who vas free Of all
/ patty and personal influences, it seemed TO
th. convention that the lest interests Of The
| people demanded that Mr. Founey's cam
| didacy shuoId be endorsed and IL was done
by an almost unanimous vote Of the conven-
ti.n, The Counties Of Randolph and Preston
having voted az a Unit for such endorsement
and there was large vote from Barbour
aud Taylor for such endorsement.
The proposition Of placing men Oh Che
Judicial bench independent Of party politics
IS not new one; as we said above, eli
justly thinking men. independent Of their
Z party utilization cpucede that this should b.
done: The State Bar Association If tu'
State If Which practically all the lawyers Il
this State are members unanimously recon-
I mcndcd to lhc political parties Of This Stale
that such should be done: There arc two
places io De filed ON the bench Of the
Supreme Court Of Appeals Of this State al
thc approaching election ard the State
/ Democratic Delegate Convention which met
| 900 Charleston last May adopted the recon.
incubation IF ths State Bs,- Association and
nominated only one candidate for hc Su
/ prem Court and Def. the other vacancy fot
the Republicans to nominate the candidate
but when their convention assembled the,
ignored both the recommendation Of the Bat
Association and the action Of the Democrat,
Sno Delegate Convention and nominated
can li1ates f'r bo'h places thereby fotciul
the Dtmocus Go nominate q candidate 90 so
fh1 vacancy thew had left for The Repub
l'eaos. 10 'he Firs' Judicial Circuit compos
! cd Of Brooke, Hancock, Marshall and Obi,