Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-11
THE REAL NON-PARTTSANSHIP
IN THE JUDICIARY.

Grler for the Office he Graves, that OF |
judge OF the supreme court OF the
state of Illinois in opposition to the |
spirit Of non-partisanship that has
long been recognized, the Monmouth |
jurist hewed closely 10 the line of par !
tisan obligation in his visit this week
to Rock Island. Reporting his address
before the republican county commit
tee the paper referred to says:
In his talk, Judge Grier confined him
self to an appeal on the grounds Of
party utilization, but the speakers who
followed him devoted their remarks
TO an appeal on the ground Of personal
worth"
There Is no argument on the ground
OF personal worth. Not one Of those
who made appeal for Judge Grier on
the score of personal worth could
have paid him a higher tribute than
has on repeated occasions, Justice
George A. Cooke, present justice of
the supreme court, whom Judge Grier
is striving to defeat for reelec-
10 discount the personal worth
of Judge Grier, but out of his
own mouth he has said that he is
not running on that issue, and even if
he was he would have none of the ad-
vantage OF Judge Cooke. But it is the
political issue that is paramount in
this campaign. Despite the mysteri-
Gus force that induced Judge Grier to
become a candidate, he is making his
battle pure and simple on the theory
that he is a republican and should thus
be elected, even if by so doing he
sets aside the intent Of the constitu-
ton of Illinois and the practice that
has for years been respected and OBJ
/ served in the election of Illinois SUI
preme court juctices.
The paper that is quoted above
| in speaking in a former issue. also
OF the republican county committee
meeting, reports:
! Judge Grier agreed with the claim
that the judiciary should be non-parti-
san. He pointed out, however, that
while it is essential that the judges
be non-partisan, it is impossible to
have a non-partisan, election under
Illinois laws. He held that partisan
ship can be thrown on only after the
judge has been elected and assumed
his Office"
For man Of Judge Grier's acknowl-
edged worth, this assertion on his part
may be taken as somewhat remark
able. In one breath, agreement with
the claim that the judiciary should
be non-partisan, and in another that
partisanship can be thrown off only
after the Judge has been elected and
assumed his Office. Did anyone for a
moment Imagine that any judge is
to remain partisan on the bench OF
has anyone presumed TO say that q
judge once elected should be required
to renounce his political convictions
No man worthy of the Office, no mar
with the faith within him could be
expected to denounce his political con
ceptions because he had been elected
to the bench. Nor has the though
!. ever been advanced that judge aftel
taking the oath would assume to per
NIT craftsmanship TO shape his cours,
in weighing the law and the elements
of justice.
That is not the principle at stalk,
in this election. 1t was not the prin
ciple that the trainers of the consti
tuition Of Illinois had in mind whel
they went as far as they could unde
the election laws, in safeguarding tn,
elections Of judges from the influence
of politics and averting as far as is il
their power. appeals such as Judg
Grier is making now for strictly PAL
r tisan support. On the theory that
g mans politics belongs only to hi
T. rights as a citizen, and would not b
= expected to play any part in his con
duct as a Judge. the suggestion Judg
Grier INDUCES seems superfuous, t
}, say the least.
. The spirit embodied in the const
:, tuition OF Illinois, which set the tim
= Of the court elections in June instea
of in the month the general election
Of purely political character are held
, and on Monday rather than Tuesday
= TIC SuSlpAuaLs Qag lOl SISSN4puS III III
nois, undoubtedly sought to proven
Il the accomplishment of the very pull
II pose Judge GTier is aiming at-strictl
. partisan elections for the judiciary
II While under the primary and genera
: election laws, 1t is necessary for
. candidate for any Office, including tn
f judiciary, to run under a caption, an
Y Judge Cooke is standing as democra
. and Judge Grier as a republican, wha
is at stake In this particular electio
+ is a broader principle than politics
g What has so often been said an
= recognized by republicans as well a
i democrats all over Illinois, and in thi
= judicial district in particular, is tina
:. in the personnel of the supreme cour
:. both parties should be to a
5 extent, at least, recognized. This doe
o not mean that any member of ths
e court must renounce his political col
S viCtions as citizen, but it does meal
and the fathers Of the commonwealt
/ intended it should mean, that th
d courts should be free, not only froI
d political prejudice and bias-but FIRE
n from the charge of political prejudic
- and bias II was intended unouestiol