The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-08-02

BE GIVEN RUN FOR THEIR
MONEY.
Not for years has there been such
keen interest taken in the democratic
campaign in this state. Normally, a re
publican state, the democrats usually
get little more than casual mention
the morning after election that Mr.. SO
and-So also ran. But this year hopes
run high in the democratic breast. Will
the election of Woodrow Wilson a fore
gone conclusion and many republican
seats in congress about to be vacated
to democrats, add to that the awfu
muddle into which the republicans have
| plunged themselves, there is apparently
much cause for anticipation among the
Bowbons. They believe that there i.
more than an even chance for a demo
crat to be elected governor of Washing
ton and several of the brethren of state
wide prominence have their lightning
rods up.
Snohomish county furnishes an aspir-
ant for gubernatorial honors in the per
son of Hon. w. w Black, incumbent of
the superior bench. Every man. woman
and child in the county knows Judge
Black and nobody shys with awe at his
title. His honor can dispense dignity a
plenty when on the bench. and the oc-
casion demands it, but he is seldom
harsh or austere. Off the bench he is
as common as shoe and accessible to
everybody.
Judge Black made his first BIG noise
in Snohomish county politics eight years
ago when he defeated John c. Denney
for the superior judgeship. For red
hot, 120-in the-shade campaign, that one
is still remembered by those who had a
hand in it as the limit. Roosevelt swept
the country like a Kansas cyclone that
year and a democratic winner north of
Mason and DiXson's line was a rare hap,
pening. But when the smoke had lifted
Judge Black was discovered. a lone dem
ocratic fledgling in a nest of republicans.
Four years later he repeated the trick
on a non partisan ballot, making a run
away race of it.
Two years ago he made the race for
congress against VIM. f. Humphrey and
was defeated by the standpatter but
carried his own county-where he was
best known-by a good majority.
In the past two years progressive SEN
timent has grown by leaps and bounds
and party lines have been badly shat
tered. If the people had a blanket ballot
in the September primaries Judge Black
might easily lead the whole field as he
has attained statewide prominence dur
ing the past few months. As it is he
must fight it out with half doz&.
other prominent democrats for the demo
cratic nomination and to what extent
the voters will participate in the demo
cratic primaries is matter of guess
work.
In the event Black receives the nomi-
nation he can hope for no better luck
than to have Hay for an opponent. Such
contest would likely be cakewalk for
the Judge.
Judge Black would make a rafting
good governor. He doesn't hate corpor-
ations nor does he fear them His whole
judicial attitude has been one of i'm
partiality. He makes no distinction be-
tween rich and poor litigants because of
their wealth or the lack of it.. but de
cides on the merits of case and the
plain statutes laid down to govern him
IN his decisions. 1t is because his court
decisions have been singularly free from
obstruse legal phraseology but have been
based ON clear conception OF what was
right and just in the case at bar, that
he has won the respect of so many peo-
pie.
If the voters of the state who intend
to enter the democratic primaries are
alive to the signs of the times, they will
do well to put the name of w. w. Black
in one corner of their memory and keep
repeating it over until election day.