The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1907-08-23

the farmers throughout Lancaster
county owe it to themselves to go to
the polls and administer a singing
rebuke to the self-opinionated law
yers who arrogated to themselves the
right To select the judicial candidates
that the rest of us must vote for.
The Gam that the Bar Association
met and selected Frost, Cornish and
Tuttle on high moral and patriotic
grounds is the veriest bosh. The deal
VIZ. concocted in the fertile brains
of lawyers who had some axes to
grind and engineered through by
them by methods that would make
the most expert ward heeler look to
his political laurels.
Had these men been actuated by
genuinely moral and patriotic motives
they would not have stopped with the
selection of three men for the three
judgeships. They would have en-
dorsed a half-dozen or more men and
presented their names to the public,
and they would not have confined
their selections wholly to one party.
But they realized full well that to
submit more than three names would
be fatal to their little scheme-and
+ nj jr CFsh Wy m q
Holmes from the running and to
checkmate County Judge Waters,
who was an announced candidate for
the district bench. They realized
that if they allowed the Bar Associa-
ton meeting to consider five or six
names Judge Holmes and Judge
Waters would win out. That is why
they hastily endorsed Frost, Cornish
and Tuttle
The Wageworker urges nothing
against. either of these three gentle
men on the ground of fitness for the
position. They are able men, and
good records SO far as is known to
4 this newspaper. But the mere fact
that they acquiesced in the insolent
and impudent work of the Bar Asso-
ciation is enough to condemn them.
BY what right-legal, moral or po-
litical-did a handful of lawyers meet
and attempt to nullify the primary
law, however indirectly? These law
yers are Officers of the court and
as such are sworn to uphold the laws
and to enforce justice. Yet, with a
primary law designed to enable the
voters to make their own selections
for candidates, the Bar Association
or a part of it-meets and anticipates
the primaries, and puts up judicial
CT ndidates by methods that make the
cid wire e-pulling delegate trading, of
flee hawking convention look like a
Sunday school picnic.
Justice demands, however, the
statement that very large minority
of the Bar Association refused to
countenance this political action, and
many of the lawyers are very free
in their expressions of condemnation
The attack made by the State Jour
nal upon Frank r. Waters, and the
violent opposition of some of the
members of the Bar Association to
his candidacy, is sufficient to expose
The reasons lying back of the snap
judgment-Bar Association conven
ton. Just now the State Journal is
giving vent to its spleen against
Judge Waters by innuendo and insin
uation, its chief opposition being
based upon the fact that Judge
Waters has received and retained
something like $4,000 paid him fol
officiating at numerous weddings in
his capacity as county judge. The
Journal claims that these fees should
have been accounted for to the
county. While the court has held
that technically Judge Waters is moi
entitled to receive these fees, it has
also held that the county cannot re
cover. But isn't it an edifying spec
tacle to see the State Journal throw
ing spasms of virtue because Judge
Waters has accepted money from
happy bridegrooms who were more
than willing to pay him So or IS az
the case may be for of1ciating at tht
ceremony?
u Perhaps Judge Waters is not en-
titled to those fees. But If he is no
| The Wageworker guarantees that hi
will cover the full amount into ths
county treasurer within twenty-foul
hours after the time that the Stats
, journal covers into the state treas
:lry the sS5,200 it quietly took from