The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1908-05-08

whom they practice. Thus it is the
natural result that in time certain Judges
| are recognized as pre-eminentiy qualified
Tor their work and are re elected on their
records.
Service on the bench itself is regarded
as the best builder OF nOn-partisan
character. Nearly every member of the
bench IN the state of Washington was at
one time in politics; the same was true
OF Chief Justice Marshall, the greatest
Judge this country ever knew. But it is
notable TACT that the three members OF
the supreme court bench who will 60 be-
tore the people on the non partisan
ticket in the September primaries did not
begin their career on the bench as the re-
suit OF nominations secured in party
nominating conventions Chief Justice
Hadley, though republican, was ap-
pointed to the supreme court by Cover
nor Rogers, democrat. Judge Hadley
has been twice elected by the people since
that time. Justice Root and Justice
Crow, like Justice HadIey, first became
members of the supreme court bench
through appointment of the governor.
and each has since been elected by the
people.
Probably any member Of the supreme
court bench could make more than $4,000,
the present salary, in private law prac-
tice. But the bench is the goal of law
yers generally, who are willing to sacri-
flee income Tor the honor that goes with
the supreme judgesbip The provisions
Of the direct primary law will in time
bring about a non partisan judiciary in
this state. But for the present the near
est approach to it will be the re election
Of judges who have made good. To
make the bench bi- partisan through the
election OF two or three democrats as
judges is not regarded as a step in the
direction OF a non partisan judiciary.
A good deal of talk is heard through
out the state about the "lawyers' pri-
mary" in Seattle. This is the plan BY
which the members OF the bar in King
county propose to hold a primary elec-
tiOn OF their own the latter part of May
to choose six candidates for superior
court judges for the county. These can
didates will then go before the people in
the September primaries. Other candi
dates for judge will have the same priv
ilege. 1t seems to be foregOne conclu
sion that five Of the six iud4es now on
the bench here will be endorsed by the
bar association for reelection; the sixth
member of the bench will voluntarily
retire.
The practical working effect of the
primary law is to elect the judges at the
September primaries instead of at the
November election Only the names Of
those receiving the highest vote at the
September primary will be printed on
the November ballots. For the supreme
court bench the three candidates receiv-
ing the highest votes at the primaries
will alone be the candidates at the elec
ton. In other words, the November
election will simply ratify the judges who
are really elected in September. The
same is true of the election of superior
court judges.
The republican party organization ia
in no wise opposed to a non partisan
judiciary; on the contrary, the organi
zation would doubtless favor and further
any plan which would take the judiciary
out of politics. But the party will not be
hoodwinked, if the organization can pre-
vent it, nor will the individual voters be
allowed to assist in the election OF demo
cratic lawyers to the supreme court
bench simply for the purpose of giving
the state bipartisan supreme court.