Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-05
BLEDSOE ENTITLED
To LABOR''S VOTE
Jurist's Decision Involving Eel
low Servant Rule Gives
Workmen Justice
LOYAL TO PEOPLES INTEREST
Democratic Candidates Election
Highly important to South
ern California
LOYAL TO PEOPLES INTEREs'

Democratic nominee for associate JUS
tice of the supreme court, is now serv-
ing his tenth year as superior Judge
of San Bernardino county, Judge Bled-
soc received the unanimous indorse-
ment of the Good Government organ
ization OF Los Angeles county, of the
state legislative board of railroad
mems organizations and of the San
Bernardino County Bar association. He
is Southern Calfornias candidate for
the supreme bench This fact is I'M
portant because Southern California
needs man on the supreme bench
who lives in Southern California and
who is intimately identified with its
industrial and public lfe-a man VINO
is thoroughly familiar with the needs
and conditions which are peculiar TO
this section of California.
The voters cannot too seriously con-
slider the Importance of selecting the
states judiciary and the necessity OF
placing only the most tried and trusted
men who maintain their independence
of political combines, because the su-
preme court is, under our present sys-
tenn of government, the last resort af-
forded either to the individual or to
society for the protection of our rights
and liberties. The fact that both of
the great political parties in California
have declared in favor of a non-par-
tisan judiciary means that henceforth
Judges are to be chosen because of
their fitness, rather than because of
their political affiliations.
JURIsT MAKES GOOD"
For long time Southern California
has had but one representative on
the supreme bench. Our population,
our territory, our wealth and varied
conditions entitle us to additional rep
resentation. Judge Bledsoe has made
good" He is a native of California
and at all times has been loyal to the
best interests Of the state, but he has
consistently refrained from taking an
overly active part in politics. He was
elected ten years ago on the Demo-
cratic ticket in a county that was
overwhelmingly Republican. He was
reelected six years later without op-
position. During that time he has held
court in practically every county OF
Southern California, and has heard and
decided some of the most important
cases ever tried in the state And OF
the thousands of cases which he has
tried there have been but nine in which
his decision was reversed. This is in
deed an unusually remarkable record.
Judge Bledsoe has lived in California
all of his life. He is an orange grower,
thoroughly familiar with all of the con-
ditions affecting our prosperity and
welfare. While a native of Southern
California he purposes and has pub
licly avowed his intention to be Judge
not of or for the Democratic party or
the Republican party, nor Of or for
Southern California, but a judge OF
and for the whole people of the whole
state"
Judge Bledsoe is graduate of STAN
ford university, 81 years old and gem
orally considered one of the cleanest,
most competent and erudite jurists in
California. He has received the hearty
support of some of the best known
Republican newspapers, who have said
of him that he is courageous, inde-
pendent and high-minded." The Bar
Association of San Bernardino county,
whose members know him and have
had the means and opportunities for
forming a careful judgment as to his
work and qualifications, said of him:
CLEAN AND HIGH-NIINDED
, "He is clean, high-minded and hon
orable-an able and painstalSing law
yer and a careful and impartial judge;
q man of quick and clear perception,
sound Judgment and answering integ-
rity, with the independence and cour-
age to stand always for truth and
right
The decision of Judge Bledsoe in
volVing the "fellow servant rule in
an important damage suit brought by
c. C. Patton against the Los Angeles
Pacific company is of the utmost sig
nificance to laboring men generally,
and, as ali fair-minded persons must
admit, entities him to the support of
the laboring people of California. One
of the greatest labor leaders in the
west said of that decision:
"The ahrOgation of the fellow SerV
ant doctrine is the only hope of the
laboring man, and the decision. or
Judge Bledsoe, sustaining the constitu-
tionality of the abrogating act, is a
great step in that direction"
Labor needs men on the bench who
recognize and give due regard to the
humanitarian side of the great ques-
tions such as this. 1t is not so much
what the legislature enacts as what
the courts decide in reference thereto
that counts for or against the interests
of the community.
Briefly the point involved in this
case was whether or not the act passed
in 1909 by the legislature, which was
intended to abrogate in considerable
degree the "fellow servant doctrine"
as the same had been heretofore ap-
piled in personal injury cases, is con-
stitutionaI and valid. motorman on
one of the cars of the defendant, with
out negligence, was injured in head
on collision caused by the negligence
of the conductor who was in charge of
another car. In upholding judgment
of S12,500 In favor of the motorman,
Judge Bledsoe held that the "fellow
servant doctrine" was not applicable,
in that the plaintiff was within the
terms of the act above referred to.