The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-30
FRIDAY. SEPT. 80, 1904.
THE JUDICIARY AND POLITICS

The attitude of the Republican party
in Minnesota toward the judicial office
is one of many things that the people
ought to condemn unqualifiedly Min
nesota Democrats have gone on record,
not only in profession but in practice,
in favor of divorcing the bench from
politics. Somewhere and sometime a
beginning must be made. If ever the
courts are to be taken out of the field
of political strife and judges to be
chosen with reference only to their fit
ness and regardless of political claims
or combinations, first move is neces-
sary. Let us make it here and now.
AT. the present moment the Repub-
lican party of Minnesota is fighting
tooth and nail against the rule and the
system of nom partisan Judiciary.
They are doing this, moreover, by a
method highly discreditab1e Judge
Brown is one of the candidates
nominated by their own party. He is
also a nominee of the Democratic party,
which by this action gave practical
evidence of its devotion to the prin-
ciple of a nom partisan bench. He is
law, as the voting public is entitled, to
have his name indicated on the printed
NV bnf1 rf n auic
the Republican state officials forbid.
1t is probable that legal action will
be necessary to force the name of
Judge Brown upon the ballot in the
way he is entitled TO have it appear.
The secretary of state, a Republican,
being appealed to, has given his de-
cision that the law does not admit
placing the Democratic mark as well
as the Republican after Judge Browns
name on the ballot. He has given this
opinion offhand, and proposes to follow
it without reference to his proper legal
adviser, the attorney generals office
He did this, in our judgment, and there
seems to be no other good explanation
of it, because he was advised or be-
.lieved that if he did ask an off1cia
opinion one would be rendered con-
trary to his wish and proposed action
Either knowing that the attorney gen.
erals office would instruct him to place
Jadoa Rrou-n,c r,or,a ,,ndar lotl, ,>a,+x
designations or fearful that it would
do so, he has acted upon his own mo-
tion,- according to the spirit. and desire
of his party. ignoring the states de-
partment of justice, to the detriment OF
the bench and the injury of the voter.
There can hardly be anything highe,
in value than the maintenance. of {
: non-partisan bench. Our courts are the
last refuge of justice and must be KEEP
untainted from party evils. Under the
elective system it becomes the people
without respect to party, to select me,
of the Observation-Disclosures and ability
Without any reflection upon the mel
who have held and arexholding judicia
Office in this state, it is an obvious fac
that unless we separate the bench from
politics it must eventually be filled b!
the same class of men, governed by tn,
same motives and owing the same obi
cations as those who occupy the exec
utive offices. This must not be. =
We will have the Judiciary taken on
of politics just as soon as the voter.
declare for it. They have an oppor,
tunity to do so in this election. If the,
give their undivided support 20 TIL,
candidates named upon The Democrat,