Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-23
BUNcOMBE.

syracuse Journal: The nonpartisan judi
ciary law enacted by the recent legislature
has been declared unconstitutional The
open primary ought to go the same ~oad
II offers a premium on dishonesty and the
republican party opposes political advan-
tages OF that sort.
West Point Republican: The nonparti-
san judiciary law is no more. The only
monrners attending its obsequies are a few
democratic politicians who figured It an
easy vehicle in which to ride a number OF
democrats on to the supreme bench. its
early demise will cause the people no
hardship and will deprive them OF no
rights.
ST. Paul Republican: Now II the demo-
Gratis are sure that they are acting IN a
purely unselfish manner let them go ahead
and put up a nonpartisan ticket ihes
have a right to. No one can take 1t from
them and then they will be carrying out
the provisions of their own idea. vi
course. ~ they were simply making a
grandstand play to get some of their party
into office under false preteuses, then they
will go ahead and nominate tickets'
David City Banner: The supreme court
has declared the nonpartisan judiciary law
unconstitutional, so that candidates loI
Judge and superintendent may run on party
tickets as before. So far as the writer u
concerned the law might have STOOD.
Theoretically. at least. IT was not without
merit. but like the primary law might
have developed some lameness In actual
practice. The law prohibited political par
ties from recommending, censuring' crltlc-
Using or referring to any candidate TOT
fudge or superintendent. Now, nobony
would want to censure or c~riticise a can
didate for Judge, because candidates Tor
Judge are always lawyers and lawyers are
always so saint-like that they are above
censure or criticism.
Beatrice Express: The decision of the
supreme court invalidating the nonpartlseh
judiciary act will be gratifying to people
who are unwilling to give special aid 10
office-seeking members of the minority
party. Passage Of the law was Haunted by
the democrats as a measure designed 10
lift judicial and educational offices above
the maelstrom of politics, but as a matter
of fact It was merely a cunning attempt
on their part to mislead voters and corral
public positions. II the paraded reason
were sincere. It would have been mani
tested when political prestige was likely to
be endangered instead Of gained, II the
nODDbTllSdH HIlIlN "NlS uNohNN ~
exalted spirit, It should rave been shown
somewhat by the legislature session which
happened to be dominated by democrats,
Kearney Hub: Again the judicial Dag
GER" exclaims the World-Herald in
speaking OF the supreme court decision on
the Donohoe n~onpartisan law. This fine
frenzy ought to be avoided in hot weather.
Better keep cool and permit the courts to
perform their proper functions without
getting up a white heat over some dis
pleasing decision. The trouble In this case
is that a bad piece of nonpartisan benefit
advantage-in other words for the benefit
of the democratic party, in defiance of the
constitution of the state. But this merely
recalls the speech Of Mill Elder in the
palmy days of populist and democratic con-
troll in Nebraska Oh the constitu-
ton" was all the fundamental law meant
to Elder, and 1t doesn't appear to mean any
more in these latter days to the World
Herald.
Fairbury News: A nonpartisan judiciary
is a very pretty thing in theory. but we
question whether such a condition could
ever be brought about by the enactment of
laws. Most men have their political con-
victions, which are intensified by a gen.
eral knowledge of political economy, and
these would not be altered by electlng
them to judicial positions. Men who ac-
quire judicial favors are, in a great meas
ure, honest, and while It is possible, and
perhaps natural, that their decisions
should be biased to some extent by the
political convictions they cherish, yet the
mode Of their election to office would not
alter these convictions or induce them TO
barter their political opinions, In the
meantime, until a better scheme is devised
the very best way to keep the judiciary
pure is through a system Of stringent po-
litlcal rivalry, which makes 1t
upon parties TO select their very best ma
terial for these important positions