The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-03
Communicated JUDGE GREENE AND HIS FINE RECORD
ISSUES IN PROBATE JUDGE CAM PAIGN-ESTABLlSH RIGHT PREG- EDENT = LuLRATlVE OFFICE SHOULD NOT BE FAMILY INFER ITANcE.


 Hon. Samuel E. Greene, senior judge of the criminal court of Jefferson county, is candidate for the less onerous and more remunerative office of probate judge. His life as son. husband, father citizen and judge, in all domestic and civil relations is matter of pride to his contemporaries and a shining example to the rising gen. l eration. All men of every calling and of every creed, the native and the new conner. may point their children to his virtues and their boys to his career as | an inspiration and standard. | The character and high repute of Judge | Greene are well known to every voter in the county. But how many know that this modest gentleman, this quiet judge, this hardworked public servant, has a | record to his credit not surpassed in any | land, at any time, in all the years since law was introduced into the world? During the last nine years In which he has disposed Of some ten thousand cases prosecuted and defended by as alert and able a bar as ever practced before any judge, he has been reversed only twice by the supreme court. This record shows how great are his industry and capacity for toll, and yet these qualities are exceed
 
 the superb training of all his faculties
 But this Is not the issue The oppos- ing candidate says that he has been a faithful official and for this reason claims that he is entitled to another term by a democratic precedent. Upon this claim of precedent Judge Greene joins issue, and in support of his contention claims that precedents as to county poli- tical offices were based on the governor s office when that office was a two year term, and that they never applied and should not apply to long term, high paying office like that of probate judge or Jefferson county The old precedent as to state officers never became rooted In the counties where the people declined to surrender their right of free election. The new constitution framed by men no less astute in politics than wise in states manshlp, destroyed, once and forever. a precedent that had proved sad mistake Tor the state and a growing sore upon the body of the public service. It limited state officers to a single term of four years, and only kept it's heavy hand from the county officials lest they defeat the constitution itself
 It is said Judge Greene has been in of- nce sixteen years, having been elected or appointed, not twice, but thrice. True: and 1t Is true that he would again and again be elected to the office he now holds. The people have been too wise ever to allow the alleged two-term preee- dent or the anti-third term precedent to lntrude upon the bench. definite and just line has been drawn between offcas that are strictly judicial and those that are political, and tenures during compe- tency and during good behavior is the chief means relied on by the people for keeping their trial judges out of politics.
 It Is said the office held by Judge Greene for sixteen years has been a good one. During a single term of six years he has drawn $1S000 from the public treasury. Does that seem large sum? Is $3O00 year large pay for the work he mas done or for the position a judge must sustain iE great community like Jeffer- son county? Is it really large?
 The assessment of candidates by the ex- eeutive committee is based on the esti- mate that the probate judges office pays 900 per year. That would mean s60 GOO for only six years, drawn by Judge Stiles during single term, as against $15OO0 Tor Judge Greene. It means that Judge Stiles has drawn for six years at least Sl3'0OO more than Judge Greene has drawn for sixteen years of arduous toll Are the figures large?
 But who believes the pay of the office to be less than $15,0OO per annum, or $90,- HSH
 And if it is ss0,0OO for six years now. how long will it be until the growth of the county has raised it to $10O0O0 and so on until single term shall mean a great fortune?
 Shall the man who is so fortunate as to be once elected, with a princey for tune already in his pocket, claim yet an- other by the fimsy right of a weak pre- cedent more often honored in the breach than the observance? The result of this primary will settle this issue of prece- dent for all time and every vote should be cast with knowledge of that event.
 It is high time, in reference to an office so lucrative, that single term precedent should be established beyond cavil. One term of it Is enough for any man.
 The only office in Alabama that pays more than the probate judgeship of Jef- ferson county is that of sheriff of the same county, and the sheriff is limited to one term of four years. It Is wrong in policy and wrong in principle that this office should be closed to the aspiration and reward of good men for twelve long years at a time.
 Occupancy of the probate iudgeship of Jefferson county for one term, instead of being an argument for a second term, is reward enough for any man, however great his service or pleasing his person. ality.
 In this campaign, so far as the personal and political strength of the candidate Is concerned, Judge Greene is far and away in the lead
 To the body of voters who may be hesi- tating over the much abused plea of democratic precedent for a second term, this statement Is addressed, in the confi- dent belize that consideration of the ques- ton will lead them now and for all time, to aid in establishing the right precedent.
 No injustice will be worked to Judge Stiles by the election of Judge Greene. He has been in the office as clerk and judge for seventeen years; eleven years as clerk to his father-in-law and six as his father-in-law's successor At the close of Judge Stiles present term the office will have been in single family, father-in-iaw and son-in-law, for twenty one years. It will be no reflection upon Judge Stiles that the voters of Jefferson county decline to make of the best office In their gift a family inheritance.
 Against the customary plea of prece- dent. sought to be established and forced by holders of office for their own advantage we set the great democratic law of ROTATION IN OFFICE fixed in our constitution and statutes grounded In right, introduced in America and up- held by the people for the people at$