The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-01-25
Committee Had
No Authority For 1t.

Following the action Of the state
executive committee in eliminating
the offices Of circuit Judge and state
attorney from the primary The Jour-
nal contended that the committee act
ed absolutely without authority and it
called for information by some one,
committeeman or otherwise, that would
explain the matter, No one has yet
fou d an explanation, but evidences
are multiplying that the committees
action is meeting With anything but
favor The Tampa Times. discussing
the matter. takes identically the same
position as The Journal. It says:
The Times takes issue with the COM
mittee, squareiy and directly. It.
holds that the committee had no
shadow Of authority to take such ac-
ton. There is neither right nor rea-
son in the assumption that the people
are unfit to select judges and prosecuT-
ing attorneys. 1t would have been, IN
spirit and principle, no more a usurpa-
ton for the committee to have stricken
from the primary list the names OF all
the Offices for which candidates are TO
be selected. we are quite as willing
to trust Governor Gilchrist with the
selection of officials as any man who
ever sat in the executive chair of Flor
ida. But we are wholly unwilling that
the people should be deprived of the
privilege of electing any official who
serves them, whether he be on the
bench or In the grand jury room. Why
the committee snoulo have selected
these fourteen judicial Offices for ex-
ception is not clear, the more especial
ly as they left the supreme court un-
disturbed1y in the hands of the people,
as well as judges Of criminal courts or
record, county judges and county So
licitors.
The excuse alleged by the advocates
Of this usurpation of authority is that
it would remove the selection or
judges and states attorneys from the
domain of politics. This Is the utter
most nonsense. There rs no more rea-
son for the removal of these offices
from the realm of politics than any
other, perhaps even less. The Judi
ciary Is the defense OF the people
against encroachment and imposition,
and the people have an actually supe-
rior right to select their special cham
pions over their other rights to select
clerks and executives and administra-
tors.
The bald excuse is made by the de-
tenders Of this outrageous policy that
the people are unfit to select the ju-
dietary. It has never been shown
anywhere In the history OF the coun-
Try that popular election of Judges
has resulted In an inferior bench, or
, that the custom Of appointing has
secured better men. The federal ju-
dietary is appointed, the state judges
chiefly elected. The benches Of the
larger and stronger states will com-
pare favorably IN wisdom and charac-
ter and strength with any equal num-
Der OF men on federal benches, not
excluding the supreme court of the
United States. The fact that the
higher federal courts are made up or
men who have been elected to state
tribunals is sufficient warrant for the
mode of election.
The Times does not see what means
o. appeal or revolt the rank and file OF
the party have from this high-handed
action of the committee, but It offers
a suggestion which appears to The
Journal to be a solution of the ques-
ton. That suggestion puts the matter
in the hands of Governor GIlchrist and
is presented by the Times as follows:
There - not readily disoernfble any
method or process of appeal or revolt
from the high-handed action Of the
committee, but It may yet be discov-
cred. II Governor Gilchrist should
announce that he regarded the posi-
tive commands of the people of higher
value and more force with him than
the negatively permissive action OF
the estate committee, and that he
would decline to make such appoint.
ments as are endeavored to be thrown
into his hands. he would clarity the
situation instantly and make Tor him
self a great name as a statesman who
regards his pledges, his preCedents
and the best interests of his people
This he may do. 1t is not only en-
tirely within his power, but 1t would
be in accord with his previous con
duct since he has been governor.
Should he do so it would be easy for
the campaign committee, in its prep
arations for the primary and the
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