The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-08-28

| Probate.
To the republican voters OF Van Buren,
county:
Judge DAVID Anderson rushed into
print in all the papers of the county
last week aud gave, among other things,
what he calls bit" Of probate history
and makes the auuouncem, at that he
has served one term and is n candidate
for a second term and cites the fact that
others before him have had two terms.
Now, friends, there is nothing super
natural or heaven ordained" about the
second term. Rewards of merit and
second terms are given those who by
their conduct of affairs or their prof.
cheney are entitled to them. They are
never given for being at the foot of the
class the most times or for neglecting
! the duties of an office.
The people now make their own nom.
nations and establish their own prece-
| dents.
To a faithful servant they may, il they
choose, give second term as a reward
for duty we'll done.
But when an official is so neglectful
of the rights of his constituents that he
/ allows his desire for private gain to over
shadow the public welfare and becomes
"private practitoner" to such an ex-
tent that he can seldom be found ia his
proper Office to personally attend to his
official duties and be consulted in regard
to the business for which the people
pay him liberal salary, he may be
L ha Il = 1,
without any crime having been commit
ted.
No man has any claim on an official
position simply because of one term of
service.
Judge Anderson bases his case largely
upon the fallacious second term argu-
ment. But if that argument were of
any force, can anybody give good rea-
son why probate judge should have
eight years of office while the same argu.
ment gives but four years to each of the
other county officials!
1t must be remembered that times
have changed in 40 years. We no longer
cut grain with sickle or cradle. The
self binder now does the work. Van
Buren, county has increased in popula-
tion and intelligence in the last 40 years.
The people are insisting that one who
accepts public office shall attend to
the duties of that office. That is what
be is paid for.
1t is stated in the article of Judge
Anderson that Judge Johnson attended
to his private interests, but Judge John
son did not neglect his official duties to
attend to any outside business. He did
not assume the roll Of private practi
toner" and could always be found in
his Office when not attending to his Off
cial duties elsewhere.
David Anderson has been Judge of
probate since January |, 1905. Number
of cases in the circuit court by the firm
of Anderson & Warner, 100, besides a
number of cases 10 the supreme court
This together with large number of
cases in the various justices courts of
the county, office business, collections,
etc.
Salary, $1,000. Since the juvenile act
went into effect June %. 1907, it has
been $780, To this is TO be added d
considerable sum for fees for certified
copies of various papers. The county
pays an additional SUN OF $3.50 for clerk
hire.
Until Judge Anderson took the office
judges of probate attended 10 the duties
of the Office None was heard to com.
plain that either of his predecessors did |
not attend to those duties or could not |
be found In the office by the people who
went there to do business. But, an! the |
change.
Another "bit" of probate history, not
of 40 years ago, but for the past three
years-just samples:
1--WE have written the probate court |
great many times in the past three
years on important matters which de-
manded immediate attention. We got |
replies at the end OF week. 1t is a
shame the way the Office has been con-
Quoted since Judge Anderson went into
the Office prominent firm of attor-
neys in this county.
IL have considerable business with
the probate court. / learned long since
that the only time | could get him by
phone was on Mondays after 10 in the
forenoon, scarcely never on any other
day. If the people knew how he had
run the office since he had 1t, he would
not have look-in for denomination. -
Editor of leading newspaper of Van
Buren, county.
at is almost impossible to find him ir
the office when we call to do business
with him. The attorneys of Van Buren,
county.
81 never find him in the office when
go there to do business. Many exec
utors and administrators and the people {
generally.
IL have tried repeatedly to get cases
set for hearing by the probate court and
have been told / could not have that