The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-01-14
Election Of Judges by The People.

Election Of Judges by the feopie.
| respectfully recommend that you
submit TO the people Of this State s2ch
constitutional amendment or amend
ments as may be necessary to place
the election OF all our judges-su-
preme court and circuit-in the hands
of the people.
No doubt this recommendation will
be met with strons position from
the politicians, but it is right, and
whether you let it pass your body OF
not it will be made an issue in the
politics and policy of this State, and
will prevail; therefore you might as
we'll take for yourselves the honor and
the credit of having given to the peo-
pie the better system.
You will be met with the argument
that this will never do; that the legis-
lature is better qualified to elect judg-
es than the people are. Who elected
the legislature? Who elected the pres
ident of the United States? Who elect
ed the United States senators from
South Carolina, the congressmen, the
governor, and all State and county
officers? The people. Then why
should not the people be allowed to
elect their judges? Do you conteGh
that the legislature is more competent
to elect than the people are? During
the last session of the legislature many
Of you were, in that class, the peo-
DIe" We're you not as intelligent and
as we'll qualified to vote for judge
then as you are now? Does your eiec-
$ion to the legislature make you any
mere intelligent or any better qualified
to exercise the high right of suffrage,
or, more specifically, better qualified
to vote for a certain lawyer to be
Judge? Certain gentlemen who were
members of the legislature at the last
session are now resting in the shades
of private life (and as to that fact,
with regard to some Of them, have
no regrets). They are now in the
class, "the people" Do you presume
for a moment they will admit they are
not now as we'll qualified to cast bal
lot for some lawyer for judge as they
were year ago when they were mem
bers of your body? No, gentlemen; the
legislature is the people; you are of
the people, and the fact that you are
members of the legislature makes you
no more nor less qualified to vote for
a Judge than if you were not members
of the legislature; and, therefore, the
argument that the legislature is the
most competent to judge'of the quail
fications of the judiciary absolutely
fails, and takes its place in the politi-
cal subterfuges now so common in
the politics of the nation. oh! but we
are told there would be political log
rolling political chicauery and
schoming for judgeships if judges
were chosen by the poople. Well,
gentlemen, if it can lie any worse than
it has been in the legislature of your
State for the past twenty years, then
God save our judgeships, and Cor save
the people in judgeship elections in
South Carolina. Do you think that
the opening in hotel of headquarters,
where whiskey and cigars are kept, for
the use of members Of the legislature,
can be made any worse if the judges
are elected by the people! Do you
think that judgeship headquarters, set
up in an Office or in a hotel, sending
out a string of little cheap political
lobbyists, running around among the
members of the legislature, election
eering to promote a man to the chief
iusticeship of South Carolina, can be
made any worse if judges are elected
by the people? Do you think that a
combination to the effect that if A and
his friends will vote for B for the SUI
preme court, that BIS friends and the
friends of C, who is to be solicitor,
will vote for 3 for supreme court and
for A for circuit judge then their
friends will help C to be solicitor
do you think, gentlemen, any greater
or worse or more involved combina-
ton than that can be made, or any
more petty politics can be played than
the working of combination like
that, if judges are elected by the peo-
pie? Understand, gentlemen, nobody
charges that such things have ever
boo,, 5ona oh MT Uou16 not think