The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-03
The District Court.

We venture to say that there is not a
successful business concern in this city
which would proceed to discharge men
in responsible positions, who were Civ
ing good satisfaction, simply because
there was chance to put in their places
new and untried men at the same
wages. We never heard of anything of
that kind being done in private bust
ness. The reasons for not doing it are
| so obvious that it is not necessary to
state them. 4
In our Judgment one very valid rea-;
son why public business is so often done
in a manner less satisfactory than pri-
| vate business is because it seems to be
| assumed that the principles upon which
| it is conducted are somehow different
from those which are essential to success
in private affairs. That certainly is a
mistake and when it is corrected we
may confidently look for greater eff
cheney and economy in, all branches of
the public service. y" i
Now, ifs@the above propositions are
dssound, there is no place where they can.
Ibe applied with, greater 1proprietY than
in the case Of the district bench. Four
prospective vacancies among the dis
trict judgeships are to be filled at the
next election. Three of the sitting
judges Harrison, Judge Brooks
and Judge Pond-are candidates for the
places they now occupy. One has been
on the bench ten years, one seven and
one six. They have had valuable ex-
perience and are performing their du-
ties to the satisfaction of the public.
If there is any weH-founded objection
to them or to either of them or any rea-
son to believe that the public service
would be improved by their retirement,
we have yet to learn what it is.
There are doubtless other men who,
given the same experience, could do
their work as well as they are doing it,
but if that is not good reason for dis
charging competent and experienced and
t satisfactory men in private business,
/ why should it be any justification for a
r change in the public service? .zs.
: We can think Of a good many reasons
why frequent and unnecessary changes
? would operate to the detriment Of pr
FetGC DuoIHCoo.7 ECOuutS IUl
1 a good deal in almost any kind of estab
lished private enterprise. Nor could any
S employer expect to secure the best capa
: city for reasonable wages if the tenure
y of occupation were uncertai in and likely
+ to be brief. It's the steady jobs thai
get the best men, and on the other hand
}, the best men get the steady jobs, il
|. private business. Why not in publ.
O business? Experience is not worth an,
:, more as a qualification in private b,,si
$ ness than it is i'll the public service
o Nor can the public hope to get the bes
, talent it the tenure Of office is shor
J. and uncertain, any more than the privat
employer. We want the best talent W
n can get on the bench. b The salary
J! not an adequate >inducement to: a ma
q who can make two or three times a
n much IN. private practice of the Law
d The office, however, is one of great dis
o nifty, and men are sometimes willing t
it make financial sacrifices, counting tn
IS honor as of value. But much Of til
J. honor is involved in such expression 3
d confidence as a reelection implies ]
IS merit cannot insure a reasonable tenu1
ic OF this office, then we shall soon fin
4 that good men, able men, successful me
e will have none of it, and the characte
#. and ability of the most dignifed and. il
k portant branch, Of the public service Wi
y speedily deteriorate Il,
d There is Just one way, and only on
s. that we know Of by which we can pr
10 vent that, and that is when we get
good judge keep him.
u Senator Nelson, General Childs and II
II other good character witnesses summon,
- Tor Mr.. Dunn, say that his language
y bad only under the stress of great 6
element. He must have been terribly q
u, cited when ne was writing those lit
= notes to his friend Heatwole.
ty - ----- 49,
It's There is some talk Of making the 81
"a contestable life insurance policy silleg;
ID Statisticians claim that the proportion
let ! the increase in suicide is mainly arno
ch holders of life Insurance policies and tn
We argue that the possession Of poll
Il s1l-. ,gEt 4