The morning news. (Estancia, N.M.) 1911-1912, 1911-10-17
Santa Fe, N. M., Oct. 18th. 1911
Hon. VencesIan Jarrmillo,

Chairman KEEP, State Gent. Com,
Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Dear Sir;
! beg to acknowledge the receipt OF
your letter of the 9Th inst. The first
sentence OF this letter contains the fol
lowing; "'Appreciating fully the desira-
bility Of eliminating the state Judiciary
from politics also find in the plat
! form adopted by the Republican party
at Las Vegas, the following;
''We pledge our party to the enact
nent Of laws taprovide for the sepa-
ration and independence Of the judiciary
from political i.fuence." l am glad in
deed to receive this evidence that your
party has at laat concluded that the
judiciary shou be non-partisan and
free from political inf1uence. The his
tory of. some of the courts in New Mex
leo justif1es the he ief thatno question
Of more importance lhan this can come
uefore the people Of New Mexico for
solution at this time. The evil Of politl-
cal Influence in the courts is Of such
magnitude tha5 all our good citizens
must desire and earnestly seek for
some effective means for it's elimina
tion. Y our platform declares for the
-nactment Of avs for this purpose Of
course the enactment of any law must
De in accordance with the constitution.
phe constitution, Article vi, Sections
4 and II, provides that the Judges of
the Supreme Court and the District
Courts shall be elected at general elec
ti0ns In view Of these constitutional |
provisions, it is difficult to conceive of
any law which legislature might pass |
so as to effectually divorce thejudic. Cary |
from political influence.
The only remedy suggested in y'ur
letter is that the candidates for tie
Supreme Court shall not MAKE speeches
during the campaign. suppose the
legislature might pass d law which
would bo constitutional, PROHIBITING
for the supreme bench feom
making political speeches, | assume,
therefore that your letter contains an
Of what is me.nG by the
lb,ve quoted plank in your platform,
md that the only remedy which you
propose for The purpose OF freeing the
judiciary from political influence is
hat the candidates for the Supreme
Court shall not make speeches during
he campaign, l cannot agree that
his furnishes an adequate rem dy, or
my remedy for the evil In t..- first
,lace, it is of perhaps even greater
Importance that the District Court
Judges, who are brought in closer con-
act with the people, should be free
rom political influence than the judges
{ the supreme court
The letterhead upon which your let
er to me is written bears the name,
S q member of your executive commit
ee, Of one of your candidates for Dis
riot Court Judge, and also bears the
.ame as another member of the con-
nittee, of one whom | understand will
eceive the endorsement of the Repub-
can organization for United States
District judge in New Mexico, and there
no suggestion that these gentlemen
nd other candidates for district Judge,
Iill not take an active part in the pend
ng campaign. All of your candidates,
9th for the Supreme bench and the
istrict courts, have been nominated as
and are candidates for
he respective positions upon de
Jared partisan ticket. Under Chese
circumstances | fail to see how the
judiciary would be less partisan if
hese judges should make no speeches
uring the campaign. They are running
n the Ticket and a discussion by them
f governmental issues before the peo
lie cannot make the situation worse
rovided they tell the truth.
Under the Constitution it is impossi-
lie to have a separate election of jud- (
es, and candidates fol- judicial position
aust necessarily be discussed during a
eneral campaign, but to secure non
artisan judiciary as far as possible un.
er the Constitution The Democratic