The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-10
Nomination of Judges.

To the Editor: IT appears to me, in
view of the dissatisfaction with ceptain
Superior Court Judges in the State, that
.he method of nomination is the great
.ause of the trouble The nomination IS
made by the district in which the judge
'esides and then it is approved by the
state convention as matter of course.
This approval is merely formal-every-
oody understands that the real nonina-
ton has already been made by the dis
tlict Now a judge of the Superior Court
must be voted for by the whole State, and
therefore he ought to be nominated by
he State convention. AS the matter
stands, especially where a district con
lists Of four or five counties. as it often
Toes, a bargain between the friends of the
solicitor in one large county, and the
friends of the judge in another, will keep
both in office indefinitely. and tie up the
viii of the party in the whole State.
A judge ought to be very strong man.
He should not only be an able and ex
'erienccd lawyer, but he should be courte
,us to the bar and to the people. He
hould have a judicial temper and be
BILE TO control personal bias and preju-
ice, of h0wsoever long standing No
aWyer who has not good reputation
or al these qualities ought to be 4 Judge.
Being one Of the most important officers
the State, his claims and qualities
hould be passed upon by the States rep
esentatiye citizens in convention us
embed, after a most careful and CON
,clentious inquiry
Makeshitt nominations and nominations
which arc the results of bargains. should
De broken up. District nominations have
so often failed in providing the bcst can
oidates that could be obtained. that they
should be discontinued. The will of the
whole people cannot be too fully consult
I'd in the making of judge. A district
judicial convention is often very thnly
attended and tame indeed. as though the
administration of justice is of the least
mportance in the affairs of State. And
yet by so-called courtesy the will of these
little conventions is imposed upon the or
ganization of great party. If the judge
only had to stay in his little district,
even though voted for by the whole
State, the districts mistake would be Wis
ted upon its own people alone; but I'M
Ter the system OF rotation he must ride
the circuits from Currituck to Cherokee.
and therefore the people from Murphy to
Manteo ought to have a voice in his Sc
lection.
I have always had a contempt for the
ti'takes Of so-called courtesy since | learn
ed that Mr.. Davis refused to give Gen.
4ral Forrest an army in the rear of Sher-
mon on account of some army etiquette
supposed to be due the West Pointers
If Forrest had been in command OF a
small army in the rear Of Sherman. the
record OF his march to the sea might not
nave b cen written in such infamy across
he pages of history
The representatives Of the whole State
should not be bound by nominations
made or influenced by the friends and re-
atloEs OF mere district nominee for an
office whose occupant should be free from
bias and the suspicion of local interest
ana small considerations and petty bar
gains and personal politics. Men speak
If the growing want of respect for law
md order and the administration of pub
lie justice. / know of nothing so fruitful
II these things as the knowledge that the
nominations of the judges of the Superior
Courts are made by local conventions sub
ect 10 local influences and that their
work IS often matter of public criticism
Let us have done with such business
md let us meet these question as pa
triots and statesmen.
w. J. PEELE.
Raleigh, N. c., April ., 1904.
For muscular and infammatory rheu