The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-27
ADDRESS To the Democratic Voters of Alabama
 in Behalf of CHIEF FJUSTICE SAMUEL D. WEAKLEY Candidate for Reelection. A Statement of His Record and His Claim for Endorsement by the People.

i experience
 It may also be said that if the Gov ernor had acted entirely upon his own l judgment he would not have been with out precedent Senator E. W. Pettus in his memorial address upon Judge Brickell stated that the appointment of that great judge was due entirely l to the partiality of Governor Lewis, who, Knowing the entire fitness and | capacity of his friend for the great | against the will of his party appoint ed Judge Brickell to the Supreme ] Bench. although, as Senator Pettus also said the appointee was not then we'll, | known to the people except in North
 Alabama, and had not heretofore held l any judicial or other official posi- | tion.
 No one questioned the competency of Judg Weakley, his integrity, or his | judicial fitness, and he was appointed | by the Governor; but before he had hardly entered upon his duties he was | confronted with an opposition seeking 10 compass his defeat for reelection. l It is probably the first time in the | history of the State, when, after the Governor has made an appointment un- der the grave responsibilities imposed I on him by law. an effort has at once been made to oppose the election of his | appointee, and thereby rebuke the ap | pointing power. What ever may be said about the precedents upon the subject of appointments in this State never, so far as this Committee Is ad- vised. has the appointee of the G,v-
 ernor been denied an additional term as an endorsement if his services are satisfactory to the people.
 Judge Weakley's friends and sup porters are perfectly confident that his
 career on the Bench will demonstrate that the Governor made no mistake in i selecting him for the high office of l Chief Justice. He was appointed be- cause of his fitness for the place. and we ask that he be retained for a like l reason. Although the time between 1 his appointment and the election to | nominate his successor is very short, yet during this brief period. the quani- l ty and quality of his work will give assurance of his ability to measure up 1 to the duties of the office. Until some | better reason can be given than that i another man wants the office, we sub init that Democratic usage entities the | appointee to an endorsement at the i polls and that common fairness en- | titles him to trial. Four months will 1 elapse from the time he entered his
 duties until the regular adjournment of
 the court During this short period the | Chief Justices time Is necessarily talk
 en up with his official duties. The court | being divided into two sections, the 1 Chief Justice must sit with each. He l must consult with both divisions, and must write opinions in cases assigned l to him when time for that duty can | be found. His ability to do this york l and to do it well, as he is doing. con- | firms the belief of his friends that his 1 great industry and power of couSontra-
 ton, coupled with his wide and
 accurate knowledge Of :ho law, will meet all the requirements of his po-
 sition. We do not think that the mag unanimous people of our State will oppose Judge Weakley upon the | ground alone that he haiis from Jeff | ferson county. This great county is part of Alabama. Its people are de- voted to Alabama, and her best in-
 terests. None of its citizens have been
 heard to complain that both of our
 United States Senators come froln | Dallas; they were elected for their | eminent fitness, and the people elected | them. The fact that other citizens of
 Jefferson county are seeking election
 to other non-judieial positions Is no
 reason why Judge Weakley should be
 refused reelection. The people at the
 last State primary elected two Jncges
 of the Supreme Court from q single | county.
 Chief Justice weakley has been and | is hard student. His reading has
 taken a wide range. He Is one of the | most industrious of men, and has been hard worker from his boyhood. He
 belonged to a class that had to work.
 By dint of great energy and close ap- plication, he built up a large law prac-
 tice which paid him more than the
 salary of Chief Justice. It is to his
 credit that he appreciated the high
 honor of being Chief Justice more
 than the money he was making. He is
 serving the State faithfully and we'll
 Is 1t not fair that he should have the
 remainder of Judge McClellan's term?
 The standard sect for a Chles Justice
 of our Supreme Court is hign. By any
 or every test that can be applied Judge
 Weakley is fitted for the place He
 is physically and mentally strong and
 sound He is dignihed and courteous
 He has large learning without pe-
 dantry. He is discriminating and ac-
 curate without being too technical.
 He has the judicial temperament de-
 veloped to a remarkable degree As
 man he is without fear and above i
 reproach. As a member of one of the |
 evangelical churches, he actively aids
 in it's work and his walk and conver-
 sation is that of a Christian gentle
 man. Judge Weakley Is a Democrat and has always supported the nominee
 of his party. He is temperate. earn
 est and capable, and 1t gives his |
 friends pleasure to say these things
 of him. He is Chief Justice by ap-
 pointment The office belongs to the
 people, and to no class of the peo-
 pie.
 We ask the Democrats of the State
 to vote for his reelection in the Au-
 w. c. Ward. R. H. Thach.
 Charles G. Brown, H. P. Hefin.
 H. c. Selheimer, Morris Loveman,
 John C. Pugh R. B. Smyer.