The Detroit times., 1910-10-10
VOTE
BREAKS SYSTEM
People, Aroused, Sweep Judge Kin
kade and Other Progressives
Into Office.
CHAPTER Iii.-THE VICTORY.
BY N. D. COCHRAN.


BY N. o. COCHRAN.
TOLEDO, Oct. 10.--The defeat Of
Judge kinkade for circuit Judge, and
me three Independent candidates for
sne common pleas bench, didn't dis
courage the Independent voters. But
Old open the eyes of both Demo
cratic and Republican politicians. The
tremendous Independent vote scared
tnem. When the next time came for
compln1ng TO fight the independents
the party bosses split apart and en-
tered into keen competition to curry
hvor with the independents.
There were four judges to elect. one
20 the circuit and three to the common
pleas bench. The independents NOM
mated Judge Kinkade for circuit
Judge. and Chas. e. Chitenden. John
p. Manton and Curtis T. Johnson as
the common pleas candidates. The
Republicans Endorsed Kinkade, the
Democrats indorsed iChIttenden, Man.
con and Johnson; and all four were
elected.
Out OF total vote of 2S.420 in
Lucas county, Judge Kinkade got 25-
367-there being no candidate against
him but the Socialist.
This put Kinkade on the bench with
two Of the three circuit judges who
had helped the ice trust lawyers and
t..eir clients. II also put three free
judges on the common pleas bench
three out OF four.
This year one OF the remaining cir
cult judges sought denomination. His
own party turned him down, and made
an effort to regain public confidence
by nominating another candidate. The
Democrats. too, put up the best polit-
teal judge they had available. But the
independent voters could not be lured
; from their fight for Q nonpartisan judi
ciary, and have nominated as an indie
pendent candidate for circuit Judge.
Johnson Thurston, Q lawyer Of ample
means and large practice, who several
years ago led the petition In boots that
marched to the council chamber and
precented the granting OF franchise
TO the street railway company by
machine-ctntrolled council. .
The odds are against him, as they
were against Kinkade four years ago.
But independents don't care for odds.
They say this Is campaign that will
go on until all judges I'M, Ohio are
nominated by the peoples without ~
gard to party afiliation, and elected as
free judges rather than as Democratic
or Republican politicians.
But the people are waking up. This
Year they are demanding that all cam
didates for the state legislature pledge
themselves before election to vote for
a bill creating a non-partisan judiciary,
nominations to be made at a direct
primary by the people themselves, and
judicial candidates to be placed upon
pure Australian ballot without party
designat'rn -
This much have the people in this
part OF Ohio done for themselves.
The result has been magical. Trust
lawyers no longer have pull with
the courts. Some Of them. refeated
In the. Republican judicial convention
where they failed to renominate their
Judge. are now for the Independent
candidate 50 as to be sure they will
get a square deal In the courts.
But that isn't air the independent
movement has done. A friendly pro-
bate Judge was defeated, and an indie
pendent elected In his place. People
now say Lucas county has the best
probate Judge In the country-Qne
who actually uses his ONCE to protect
the windows and orphans whose In
terests are placed by law In his
charge
The method by which the people
nominated their independent candi-
dates was simple Petitions were CIR
culated and presented to the election
boards. who placed the names on the
ballot, in a separate column. with no
eagle. rooster, duck, goose, parrot or
any. other birdlike party emblem at
its head. Then men who believed In
the non-partisan judiciary went out
and talked to the people on the street
corners, In halls, at their homes In
city or on farmland paid their own
expenses. They were helped by one
newspaper In Toledo-The News-Bee.
Only the high spots have been
touched In this brief story OF mighty
interesting campaign OF several years
duration. The conditions that existed
were not singular or unique. In every
judicial district In the land will be
found trust lawyers active In judicial
conventions and elections. Every
where viii be found special privilege
seeking cbntrol Of the courts Nearly
everywhere are kept judges who by
their Official conduct are teaching the
people contempt Of court by making
courts contemplate.
And everywhere, thank God, there
will be found the same kind OF hon.
est. DISTRIBUTING people who some
FIDDLER" TAYLOR IS.