The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1910-10-06
APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE

lUElOH, IIldhG iiio u f'''''
people of this state
The surest saieguar.s OF republican
institutions are courts composed Vi
Judges who derive their authority from
the people, who are unswayed ny
party prejudice, and who, free FROM
the influence of privilege, do not
subordinate the rights OF the many
to the exactions of the few. 10 Sc
cure such judges there devolves upon
every citizen an obligation OF sue"
weight and solemnity that it dwarlS
all other considerations.
T he rights and property OF al
,jassas rest in the end on the I'M
partiality and ability of the men VINO
compose our courts. 1t Is the pl"ih
duty of every voter to work for the
election of men who will best dis-
charge that trust; and in the cholce
of such men every voter should nave
direct and unfettered part
Our primary law, as originally en-
acted, gave to the people full partici-
patton in the selection of members Oh
the Supreme Court, free from 'he
interference of conventions dominated
BY selfish interests We pledge our
selves to use all honorable means TO
secure II e rcpesl OF the act Of l9o9
which took the nomination of sup
RENE Judges from the people and re-
turned to the convention system; nj
in its stead 90 labor for the enact
ment of & law for the nomination and
election of Supreme Judges in the
same manner as that in which Super
ior Judges are now nominated ana
elected.
The law of 1909 which returned the
nomination of Supreme Judges to par
tisan conventions was enacted at the
instigation OF special interests by a
Legislature pledged to support the
peoples choice, through the primary,
OF all STATE officers. branch u
trust for which there exists no excuse
it was also preliminary assault on
the direct primary system conceived
and executed by men determined TO-
wipe from the statute books means
thus far devised for giving expression
to the popular will.
While taking measures to avert this
danger when the Legislature meets,
the people of the state should also
have the opportunity at the coming
election to express their disapproval
of the methods and results OF the
state convention held at Tacoma on
August Bird, 1910. The nominees OF
that convention, if elected, will con-
stitute a majority of the supreme
Court and carry control of that Dody
for a long term of years. The larger
number of the delegates to the con-
yention were chosen in an arbitrary
aud i'lega, manner, and without CIV
ing the people of the state even the
semblance of a voice in their selec-
ton. 1t was not a Republican con-
vention in any true sense of that term
1t carried out the program of the in
terests in control, and, in the face
of determined opposition, the five
Republican judges whose terms were
expiring were renominated, thus
accomplishing one of the most shame
less pieces of political jobbery ever
perpetrated in this state.
There is but one way in which the
people can at this time express their
disapproval of the work of that con-
vention. We choose that way, and
disregarding party affiliations, we
recommend the nomination by this
conference of five candidates for the
Supreme Court, selected with sole
regard for their knowledge of the
law and their courage to disregard the
law and their courage to dicharge
with integrity and impartial justice
the duties of that body
We regret that the Impairment OF
the primary law by the last Legisla-
ture compels us to hold this confer
ence in order to voice popular dis
content with that impairment and
with the work of the Tacoma conven-
ton. In placing before the electorate
the names of the men whom this con-
ference may select, We act as we be-
lieve the voters would act if they had
not been robbed of the opportunity.
If that opportunity is restored to theI
by the next Legislature, We pledge the
candidates nominated here today to
tender their resignation before the
primary election 1912 and submit the
question of their nomination and re-
election to the voters of the state.
The fight on which We are enter
ing is not against individuals, but
against the system under which spec