Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1904-01-20
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GOV. N K. vARDAMAN.

ballots will purify the political atmos
phere and provide a a%lic which the
State needs to make it strong and
great.
There is another matter Of moment
which / wish to discuss briefly. The
most important function In the econ.
Omy Of this commonwealth is the judi
ciary. The power and influence of the
judge touches and affects every phase
Of human society. No law upon the
statute books is worth the paper it
is written upon until It Is pronounced
the law By the courts. It Is within
the power and grasp Of the judge to
undermine the very foundation Of the
constitution and to work a change In
system Of government by eonstruc-
tiOn-to save nan from himself-tO
ave families-to make people happy,
to do right and to do wrong, to work
veal or woe. to destroy or build up, to
be more than human In mercy and yet
preserve the law, than all Of the law
makers, the governor and civil officers
in the State combined. The character
of the man who is to perform the du-
ties Of circuit judge, is of more impor-
lance to the people OF that district
than the president OF these United
States, or the governor of the State.
And the character. moral and mental
qualities OF the supreme judge is Of
more Importance still, since his power
is ultimate. The judge, therefore,
should be a man Of unquestiOned prob
ity, Of high moral character; he
should be learned in the law; he
should be honest and independent. To
the loftier ideals of Righteousness and
justice he should at all times be true.
his only ambition should be to do
right. If a sense Of personal obliga-
ton or an emotion Of gratitude for the
place and It's emoluments are to have
any weight in shaping his conduct
while on or OF the bench, during hia
tenure Of once, that obligation should
be to the people, to whom the ONCE be-
longs. The governor VINO appoints
him ig but their NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ing g sacred trust I want 10 impress
upon you, my countrymen, that the
governor who would use the appoint
i've power as hts personal property
&c q mere political asset-for self-ags
grandiEement, falls disappointingly be-
low the ideal, and defeats the lofty
purpose Of the founders Of our govern
ment. And the man who would 60.
cept the once at the hands Of q govern
OF who would thus prostitute this sa-
cred function, and then recognise any
sort Of personal obligation to him in
the discharge Of his ofhoial duty, or
the use Of the prestige Of his high sta
ton, Is not AZ for the place. but on the
other hand, degrades the ermine. I
want Mississippi to keep up and main
tain the grand old standard Of excel
lence; I want the judiciary exempt
from the pernicious influence Of politi-
cal bossism; I want the judge VINO
holds q commission from the governor
to understand that the only obligation
or debt he owes that governor Is to
perform fairly, fearlessly, intelligehtly
and justly the functions Of the office
Of Judge. Let the political Judge
that judicial cancer on the body poll
&c a disease Of recent development ia
MIsaissippi-let It be extirpated. and
as quickly al that sovereign remedy
the honest intelligent baliot-can
heal the fostering sore, let It become a
thing only Of Odi0us memory. The