The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1907-08-24
JUDGE WILKINSON
IS REAPPOINTED
GOV. VARDAMAN GIVES THIS DISTRICT
BACK ITS SPLENDID JUDGE.
The Governor Valves all Partisan Con-
SideratiOns and Makes the Ap-
,pOintment on Merit.
A Parallel Casc---Interestine Personal
Sketch of Judge WiIkin-
son.

jackson, Aug. 81. Gov. Var
daman today announced the reap
pointment of Judge Wilkinson to
succeed himself as Judge of the
Sixth Circuit Court District.
This appointment is in harmony
with the wishes of the bar of the
district. Judge Wilkinson was
opposed to Gov. Vardaman in the
race for Governor four years ago,
but was not partisan. He has
filled the bench with marked abil-
ity and the bar of the district will
be satisfied.
For months and months, indeed
it may be said for the past two or
three years, it has been rumored
that Hon. E. E. Brown, of Match
ez, would get this appointment.
it being known that be wished it
and that he had been a strong par
tisan of Gov. Vardaman's fight
for Governor, and even stronger
in his recent race for the United
States Senate.
In the appointment of Judge
Wilkinson to succeed himself the
Governor has done a commendabIe
act. 1t was possibly not in accord
with his personal incIinations to
make the appointment, and in
this respect there is curious
parallel between the appointment
of Judge Wilkinson and the ap-
pointment of Judge Stevens, of
Carroll, soon after the Inaugural
tion of the Governor. Judge
Stevens, of Carroll, who was a
son-in-law of Gov. McLaurin,
then United States Senator, had
made a brilliant record on the
judicial bench. At the same time
Judge Stevens, when off the
bench, did not hesitate to express
himself strongly in his choice for
Governor of the State, and that
choice was not Vardaman. How
ever, when Vardaman was inaugu-
rated and the Senate was in ses-
sion to receive and act upon the
vacation appointments and the
new appointments to be made,
Gov. Vardaman sent into the Sen
ate the name of Judge Stevens for
re- appointment, greatly to the
surprise of many friends and es-
pecially of some who were advo-
eating another man who had sup
ported the Governor. But the
Governor had put himself on rec
ord in the most emphatic and
binding terms in his inaugural ad-
dress, against appointing judges
from political motives and consid-
erations. He replied to his
friends that while Judge Stevens
had opposed him as Governor,
nevertheless he had made the best
Judge, from his own personal OBJ
servation of him, that he had ever
known on the bench. Therefore
be appointed him.
In the present case of Judge
Wilkinson, which will probably
be the last judicial appointment
the Governor will have to make
during his term, the conditions
are almost identical with those in
the case of Judge Stevens. Judge
Wilkinson also fought hin politi-
cally, but made a most excellent,
fearless and honest Judge.
Judge Moyse H. Wilkinson is
yet under forty years of age and
will not reach forty until Nov. 81
next. He was born at Zion Hill,
in Amite county, Nov. 81, 1867.
His parents we're natives of the
State. Judge Wilkinson as boy
attended the local schools, and
when twenty -one he entered Cen
tenary College at Jackson, La. (,
where he received the degree of
bachelor of arts in the class of
1871. After graduating ne en-
tered the University of Virginia
to study law and graduated in
1892. He began the practice of
his profession at Gloster, where
he has since resided. In 1896
he was called temporarily from
his legal duties to serve his dis
triet as presidential eIector, a
| position which he filled with dis
tinction. In 1903 Mr.. Wilkinson
was appointed by Gov Longlno
las Judge of the Sixth Circuit
Court District and has since pre-
sided. His appointment today
lgives him four more years on the
| bench.