The copper era., 1911-11-03
Will the Corporations Own Our Courts

Will the Corporations Own Our Courts
 Before and after Greenlee was segregated as a county, the slogan
 cry has been that our county would
 become a closed corporation borough. That no one could enforce his rights in the courts against one of the large
 companies; that the corporations
 would control politics and dictate
 the policy of the courts, and that we
 would find the judge taking his law from the office of the big companies.
 It is now probably true that many of the voters are yet of tho opinion that this condition will prevail when we have taken on the newborn of government, and that a judge who will not shape his decisions to fit the wishes of the heads of the corpora tions will soon find himself out of ot- fee.
 The office of superior judge is vast fy of more importance than first might have been imagined. This court has general jurisdiction of all matters heretofore exercised by the territorial district courts. The dis triCt courts will soon be past history. There will be an appeal direct from the superior courts to the supreme .cUurt of the state.
 Some have thought the office of county supervisor is the most impor- etant office in the county. but such is far from the fact. The office of judge is the most important and far reaching in it's results, and the most mischievous when not righteously ad- ministered. The lives, the liberties. and the property of any man is liable to be in the hands of the judge any day, then his vaunted liberty, or title to his property, does not rise higher than the competency or honesty.of that judge.
 At this election I must run Is a re- publican, but I wish to be distinctly understood that party has DO place in this ofice. Justice doeB not reside where party spirit presidea. If I am elected it will be by all parties, and TUT ph luOlpdl lCdSoii eldI thCy OO not wish the office of judge to becomc a jest, toy, play thing, nor the property of any corporation or other person. Justice does not reign where the judge becomes the apostle of 4 political party. de pc ndeut judi ciaTy can never be impartial. Abso- lute independence is the one essential condition of judicial office. No friends to reward, no enemies to pun ish. His duty is to strictly enforce the laws, and if chose laws are wrong leave their correction to the legis- lature.
 I have been practicing in the ter Titory nearly eleven years, aud to my great disgust I have frequently heard it peddled around for business 1 purposes that SO and so has pull with the judge, that this attorney, 1 that attorney, is d very good friend | of the judge, that if you want to win l your case you had better employ d | certain attorney. I have ofttimes | wondered what that judge would say | if such music should reach his ears.
 It is notorious fact that society l keenly feels and quickly resents any | unseemly power exercised by the ju- dietary. The frality .of humanity | renders the office a difficult task to i fill with appreciation of the entire people,yet it is as equally well known that, where the judiciary has become dependent upon any faction, or class, that justice is but an empty name, and that that court soon loses the re- spect and confidence of the people.
 l do not come before the people with the claim that I need the office as a means to a living. Office is not the place to pension off incompe- tents. I am not poor, nor needy. I have enjoyed an extensive practice for many years and nearly all l have made I have saved and have well in vested. My practice pays far more than the office of judge. Then it will be asked, why should I want the of flee? Most every lawyer at some time in his life has the laudable ambition to be judge, and that is about the highest aspiration of the average lawyer.