The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1906-10-18

man Of the meeting and after dis
cussion that lasted for some time, the
chairman was instructed to appoint a
committee Of three members, and this
committee will have charge of the
campaign in Grand Forks county and
this section of the state in the inter-
ests Of the Grand Forks candidate for
the highest court in the state.
Judge COrliss Interviewed.
II feel that the attempt In certain
quarters to ridicule and belittle Judge
reference to the candidacy Of Judge
Knauf for the supreme bench, Judge
Corlss said, sis made for the purpose
of diverting attention from the real
issue. I have known Judge Engerud
intimately for years, and he is one of
tive. that in taking the stand he has
MT been promoted by any desire to
dictate, but that, on the contrary, he
has in this regard been actuated by
the highest motives. For years he has
stood in the front ranks Of the legal
as supreme court Judge is one that
the people of the whole state may
we'll be proud Of. If such a lawyer
and judge is incapable Of forming a
sound judgment as to the fitness Of
another for the supreme bench, then
it is impossible to form such a judy
ment and everybody must vote in the
dark on that subject. Judge Engerud
as he says in his statement, Is in po-
sition to know Of Judge Knaufs quail
iflcations from what he has seen Of
the work of Judge Knauf as a prac-
ticing lawyer, and speaking from this
vantage ground he says he is wholly
unfit for the place. He also saw, what
is known throughout the state, that
the nomination was Influenced en-
tirely by political considerations and
that behind it was no general recogni-
ton, either by the bar or the people,
that the man was qualified for the
position. His duty was therefore,
plain, viz: publicly to oppose the cam
didacy Of Judge Knauf. He could
not with propriety do this If he was
to remain permanently upon the bench
was therefore compelled by the situa-
ton, which he did not create, either
to make his public announcement that
he would resign in case Judge Knauf
was elected, or else to- do violence to
his high sense of duty in the matter.
For one, believe he made a wise and
courageous choice, and that he should
be commended for placing the integ-
rity of the supreme court above his
personal ambition to build up for
himself a name as great jurist by
remaining on the bench. Has any
other man in this state shown such
an unselish devotion to the best in
terests of the people? I am heartily
in sympathy with the stand he has
taken and with the candidacy of Judge
Fisk.
Judge Fisk's candidacy has the
overwhelming support of the leading
members of the bar of the state,and
it is significant that in the city of
Fargo twenty-four republican lawyers
have signed paper publicly declar-
ing their opposition to the candidacy
Of Judge Knauf and their support of
the candidacy of Judge Fisk. In this
city sixteen republican lawyers have
taken the same stand, having signed
written pledge to support Judge
Fisk. These forty republican lawyers
constitute practically all the repub-
lican lawyers in the two cities. Judge
Knauf cannot command the support
of a single lawyer who is or ever has
been a member of the supreme court
to which he aspires; and yet they are
all lifelong republicans.
I'm addition to the opposition of
Judge Engerud, is that of Judge
Young, who has recently resigned
from that bench. The nomination of
Judge Knauf was to fill the vacancy
created by Judge Youngs resignation;
and the first thing that JudgeYoung
has done after stepping down from
the bench to- the legal profession is
openly and courageously to oppose the
choice Of his party for the vacancy
created by his resignation as one not
fit to be made.
The defeat of Judge Fisk means
likewise the defeat of Judge Engerud
and it is well known that the late
Judge Cochrane a short time before
his death, when talking of resigning
on account of his failing health, had
selected these very two men as pre-
eminent in the state for q position
upon that bench, declaring that his
preference for successor would be
Judge Engerud, if his successor were
to be a republican, and Judge Fisk,
if his successor were to be a demo-
crat. The following is an item which