The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-09-03

OF JUDICIARY
Is Urged by Ex.President Taft
Before American Lawyers

Montreal, sept. 2.--'W lillian H. Taft
i'm an address last night before the
annual meeting OF the American Bar
association, returned To ono of the is
sues of the campaign i'm which he was
defeated for recollection as president
of tho United States and advocated
greater Independence of the judiciary.
His subject was The Selection and
renurc of Judges He argued that
Judges should be appointed instead Of
elected and that they should hold Of
flee for life.
The greater the Independence Of
,hc courts" said Mr.. TAFT, tho
stronger their influence and the more
satisfactory their jurisdiction and the
administration of justice. lin popu-
lar government the most difficult
problem is To determine "A satisfactory
mcthcd of selecting the members Of
its judicial branch"
Sci, elton of judges by appointment,
he declared, did not altogether deprive
the people of this right. The sclcc
tion can be really popular without re-
sorting To an election. The chief cX-
ccutivc elected by the people To rep
resent them in executive work does,
in appointing a judge. execute the
popular will. lie can search among
the members of the bar and can in
form himself thoroughly as to the one
hest qualified. Generally he has
sources of Information. both of an
gnnHInntf.A III "A
if he is not himself lawyer or per-
sonallN familiar with the uualiiica-
lions of the candidates hc has AN at
turney general and other competent
advisers to aid him in the task For
these reasons, i'm every country of the
| world, except i'm the Cantons of
Switzerland and the United States
! Judges are appointed and not elected
Mr.. Taft admitted that the United
States had many able judges by cleo
ton, out, he pointed out, in many
states the practice prevailed of re-
clectnE good Judges without contest
Any good that might have been de-
rived from the elective system. how
ever, promised to he lost, he asserted
! with the more general adoption of thu
| dirct nomination system.
Office Cannot Seek Man.
Like all the candidates for Office
Ia he elected under such conditions
! Judges" he said, are expected 4
conduct their own canvass for thei
nomination. To pay the expenses q
their own candidacy i'm the primary
! and i'm SO far as any special effort
to be made i'm favor Of their nomina
tion and election, they are To make
themselves They are necessarily pu
i'm the attitude of suppicants bcfor
the people for prefermcnt To judici5
places Under the convention Syster
il happened not nfrequently for rea
sons | have explained, that men VIII
were not candidates were nominate
FOR the bench. but now in no case ca
the office seek the man. Nothing cOul
more impair the quality of lawyer
available rs candidates or deprecial
the standard of the judiciary 1t h;
been my Official duty to look into Il
judiciary 'of each state. i'm my scare
for candidates to be appointed To fec
cral iudgeships. and ! affirm withol
hesitation that in states where maj
of the elected Judges in the past ha'
had high rank, the Introduction
nomination by direct primary hi
distinctly injured the character of Il
bench for learning. courage and abb
d ity. The nomination and election
y Judge are now To- he the result
p his own activity and of tortuito
9 circumstances. Newspaper prominen
r plays q most important part, thoui
n founded on circumstances quite irr
IL levant i'm considering judicial qua
II ties.
The result of the present tcndcn