The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1908-06-19
PARTY POLITICS
AND JUDGESHIP
Had Spa1ding Done Nothing Except
to Write Dissenting Opinion in
the Temperance Com.
Case, He Would be Entitled to a
Favorable Verdict from
the Voters.

ination for supreme court judge no
word has been printed in the papers
supporting Judge Spalding to sue
coed himself, in any manner refer
ring unkindly to Hon. E. H. Wright,
or his candidacy; but the desperate
and dirty fight started by the Forum
and it's anonymous correspondent
through misleading and untruthful
articles, makes it necessary to state
some plain facts.
The Forum seeks to show that the
Judge is either incompetent or Is de-
voting his time to politics instead of
his Office.
Ex-judges Of that court and other
attorneys have spoken on the ques-
ton Of ability and little more is
needed to answer that charge.
The work of judges Of that court
unlike that of those of the lower
courts is done in private after term,
and very few except lawyers ever
read it's opinions, hence attorneys are
most competent to judge of his abili-
ty and fitness; nearly t~hree-fourths
of the stalwart and progressive re-
publican, and many democrats, attor-
neys of the state, have asked him to
be a candidate, or endorsed his can
didacy, an unquestionably more than
one-half Of the remainder favor it.
The pretended facts stated in the
article as to the number of opinions
written by him under the conditions
existing in the court when he was
appointed, and since, even, if true,
signify nothing. Opinions of judges
and courts IRE not weighed by the
pound or counted by the dozen to
determine the time and work requi-
red for their preparation.
One Of the present judges wrote
almost exactly the same number of
opinions in the corresponding time
after going on the bench.
Had Judge Spalding done nothing
except to write his dissenting opinion
in the Temperance Commissioner
case, he would be entitled to a IA
vorable verdict from the voters, not
because it related to. the question
of temperance, but because of the
evidence thereby furnished of the
painstaking care he devotes to all
the cases argued before that court,
and the learning and ability with
which he discussed and applied the
fundamental principles which lie at
the basis Of organized society.
He spent two days visiting some
friends in a distant part of the state,
at their invitation. This is the basis
of the charge that he is travelling
over the state begging for votes.
There is a fraction of truth in some
of the other statements, but the ma
terial part in each is false. One or
two will illustrate. At the request
of the Y. NJ. G. A. he did introduce
Senator LaFollette when he lectured
in Fargo, but he did not make a
speech in doing so "denouncing the
record of the republican party and
it's leaders in this state" His re-
marks in no way referred to the re-
publican party Or leaders of this
state. Judge Pollock had introduced
the senator on the occasion Of q
Rrrpoar 1not,Sr0 ,,nanr fha 60 rnn or.
spices.
He did attend a meeting Of a po-
litical committee, but for no other
purpose than to submit his resigna-
ton of an Office he had held, and to
surrender its belongings. He remain
ed during none Of it's deliberations.
He has taken part in political con-
%ferences both with closed and open
doors relating to his own candidacy
and with stalwart and insurgent
alike. but not for any other purpose.
Whether he deserted a cause in
which he engaged at his own expense
has nothing to do with the question.
One thing is certain. Unlike his OPP
ponent he never sought the position
of judge-he never asked for ap.
p0intment-he never requested en-
!dorsement for It. 1t was all done by
the bar of the state on the motion
of its members themselves.
Although endorsed by the so-called
"insurgent conference" at Grand
Forks for nomination to succeed
himself, he was not present, or in
Grand Forks; the question as to such
endorsement had never been sug.
gested to or by him. 1t came unso'
licited and was not acted on by him
except as he acceded to the request
Of the bar, at a later date, that he
permit the announcement of his can.
didacy.
What do These Attacks Mean?
Simply that the same elements
and forces which suffered defeat
when Judge Fisk was elected are
again trying by forcing the position
into politics to get control of, the