The Huttig news. (Huttig, Ark.) 1907-1955, 1908-03-21
JUDGE CARROLL D. WOOD.
Judge w. N. Norton of Forrest CITY.
one of the AbIest Lawyers of the
State, Gives Strong Endorse
ment of Judge Wood for
Associate Justice
Associate Justice.

The position of Supreme Judge is
the most important in our State. A
Dad governor is bad. A bad legislature
rs bad. But if we have bad Supreme
Court, God help us,
II the governor or the legislature do
wrong, the Supreme Court can extend
over us the shield of the Constitution
But If the Supreme Court does wrong
there is no redress. 1t is the final
arbiter of our lives, our liberties and
our fortunes.
We may experiment with the other
offices. We may even turn them over
to demagogues and still get along. But
for the Supreme Court we must choose
only tried men, men who we know are
fitted for the place.
Anybody with good education, up
right character and fair intelligence
can discharge the duties of the other
Offices. But a Supreme Judge must
have peculiar qualifications. He
must be learned in the law. He must
be impartial. He must have the jul
dicial temper; that is, the power to
free himself from all personal feelings
toward litigants and counsel and to
look only to law and justice.
1t is not everyone learned in the
law that makes a good Judge Many
lawyers have gone on the bench with
great reputation and left it discredit-
ed. A man must be born for the Of
flee. And then he must hold it long
enough to become proficient in the dis
charge of the duties.
You cannot make a good Judge in
a day. The longer he stays on the
bench the better judge he will Le, if
he is made of the right stuff. Our
people have been wise enough to see
that, and among us the tenure of judi
cial Office has always been practically
during good behavior.
This is especially important On the
supreme bench. A Supreme Judge
should be very learned in the law
If he makes a mistake there is no
remedy. And there is no law school
to compare with place in that court
The ablest lawyers of the State are
all the time pouring out their learn
ing before it and showing it every view
in which a question can be consid-
cred. Unless man is hopelessly dull,
he will grow in learning every year
that he is there.
Whom shall We support in the pres
ent race? We have a judge who has
made his record. 1t is down in black
and white for all men to read
A good judge must be not only
learned in the law, he also must be
honest, fearless, impartial, INDUSTRIOUS
Which of these qualities does Judge
Carroll D. Wood lack? If he is not
learned in the law, who wrote the long
series of able opinions that appear in
his name? That he is honest is ap-
parent. Deciding the most important
cases where corruption would mean
wealth, he is almost as poor as when
fss q ked 54s \ j ~ 5ggf
University, getting an education under
disadvantages that would have appall-
ed most men. That he is fearless is
evident in his opinions, where he de-
cides always according to what he be-
lieves to be the law, regardless of
popular clamor on the one hand or cor
porate greed on the other. Thst
is impartial, knowing neither friend
nor foe when on the bench, every law
yer practicing before him will admit.
That he is Industrious the vast array
of his opinions demonstrates beyond
question.
His opponent says he has held office
too long When did it become dis
grace that a mans fellowcitizens
should continue to honor him with
their confidence? And except during
the few years that he was prosecuting
attorney, his service has been all upon
the bench and therefore preparation
for his present duties.
His opponent talks about the salary
he has received. At no time has his
salary been half what he could have
earned at the bar. He has given his
labor to the State for less than half
the compensation that private persons
would have given him had he worked
for them.
His training for the position has
been ideal. He was prosecuting at
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