The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-10-31

SohNChCu III Olyulpids tu6
legislature convened, the state
was fairly boiling over with a
popular demand for such further
investigation. This demand found
expression in the legislature.
On January 26 Senator Poison
of Chehalis county introduced in
the senate a resolution providing
for a thorough investigation of
the court by a committee of five
senator's and five representatives.
The appearance of the resolution
created immediate CONSERVATION.
President Ruth of the senate, the
leader of the old guard faction in
that body, descended from the
chair and led the assault upon 1t,
moving that it be indefinitely post
poned.
This motion was bitterly ar
gued, the spirit of its old guard
champions being much the same
as that displayed in the foregoing
quotation of Frank Post. So Bit
ter was the assault, that when the
vote was taken, but Ia members
championed the Poison resolu-
ton. When the resolution was
disposed of, a demand was made
on the floor of the senate that
Poison be compelled to apologize
to that body, on penalty of being
expelled If he refused. This de-
mand, however, was not pressed
to an issue.
Because the non-partisan judi
cial primary law, enacted by the
1907 legislature, had been multi
ated in committee SO that only as
many candidates we're permitted
to be nominated as there were
judges had been reelected in
1908 against whom such criticism
had been directed. Had that law
provided for the nomination of
two candidates for each place to
be filled, 1t is probable that one or
both of them would have been de-
feated. AS it was, one of them,
Judge Milo A. Root, resigned I'M
der fire almost Immediately after
his election.
This condition gave rise to a de-
mand for such an amendment to
the law as would provide for the
nomination of two candidates for
each place to be filled. A bill was
introduced I'm the 1909 legislature
making this change, and as to SUI
perior court judges the law was so
changed. But while the bill was
under consideration in the senate
an amendment was inserted in
committee excluding supreme
judges from the operation of the
bill, and an amendment was Of
fered on the floor of the senate by
Senator Garves providing for the
of supreme judges by
convention only. This Graves
amendment was drawn by @. Will
Shafer, state law librarian, a posi-
ton which he holds under appoint
by tn esupreme court. Its
passage was favored by most if not
all of the members of the court.
some OF whom even went so far as
to lobby for its passage.
While this bill was pending the
writer made it a point to ascertain
direct from members of the SUI
preme court their attitude toward
1t, and while he did not ask all of
them, all of those he did ask
frankly announced that they IA
Vored 1t. This included both of
the members nominated in the
1908 primary election. While the
dill was pending, Speaker Meigs of
The lower house, who was oppos-
ng it, was summoned to a confer
'nce with two members of the
'ourt, who prevailed upon him to
'hange his position. / @ that Mr..
heigs now denies this, but he him
'elf is my authority for the state
nent. In this and other ways the
'igorous opposition was over
'ome, and the bill passed with the
iraves amendment.
The bill then went to GOVERNOR
lay for approval. Governor Hay
vas opposed to the convention fen
ure and had a message written ye-
DING it, WHEN A COMMITFEE
)F MEMBERS OF THE COURT
PREVAILED ON HIM To-
JHANGE HIS MIND. IN THIS
TANNER WAS THE JUDICIAI'
CONVENTION LAW OF 1909
First friends and champions of ,
TENDERS of the court insist that
he court should not be criticized !
Or the actions of the legislature.
r for the iniquities of the conven- |
on system. But for the active !
anticipation of members Of the ]
ourt in procuring the passage of !
MIS- convention bill, this argument
light be a valid one. Undrr the ;
circumstances, however, it is un-
-orthy of consideration. ]
1t is but natural that Judge .ele-
ated to the bench as a result of /
at the hand of party :
inventions should favor the re- 5
i'm to the convention system.
ut 1t can be accepted as nothing,
hort of an Indication of PREFER
nee for the methods of machinek
over those of popular Cow
when judges favor a re-
I'm to the COnvqnfion ox.to. E