Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1914-10-28
FAVORABLE COMMENTS
ON SMITHS CANDIDACY


Favorable reports are coming from
all over Yavapai county with refer
encc to the candidacy OF Judge F.
o. Smith fer a second term as su-
pcrior judge.
Everywhere he has spoken pco-
pie have been interested. according
to those who arc keeping in touch
and know the man. He is making
clean-handed campaign, because ne
that is one of the characteristics OF
Judge Smith. More than this. his
candidacy is particularly strong in
that he is 4 non-partisan candidate,
holding firmly 10 the view Of the
greatest jurist Of the day that the
judge who is the longest distance
removed from politics is the near
est the people and possesses the
greatest capacity fer the fulfllmcnt
OF the duties devolving upon him
as 4 mediator between people OF
all political parties.
Judge Smith went into Office Feb
ruary IA, 1912, and since that time
has made a record which is unsur-
passed in the history OF Arizona
Jurisprudence, so far as superior
judges arc concerned. One OF the
points is that he has been reversed
in his decisions fewer times than
any judge on the bench in this state
during the period he has been in
service. As remarkable as it may
seem. Judge Smith has been re-
vcrsed but twice since his induction
into office. and he has not only at
tended to all the Yavapai county
cases but has presided at trials in
five other counties consuming four
months time trying outside cases
OF great importance-cases which
were so hotly contested that they
required the greatest OF judicial skill
because in most such lawsuits the
supreme court is the final arbiter.
The counties in which Judge Smith
has presided on the bench are Nav
ajo, Mohave, Pinal, Maricopa and
Cochise.
1t might here be mentioned that
the two cases reversed by the SUI
preme court involved political qucs-
tons. One case in addition to these,
which was appealed from his deci-
sion. was dismissed by the supreme
court on the grounds OF lack OF iuris
diction. and another modified to the
extent Of the interest on S312 at the
rate OF SIX per cent per annum.
Aside from these cases, Judge
Smith has the remarkable record OF
having been affirmed in every opin-
ion which he has rendered which
later went to the supreme court.
Yavapai county, is therefore, the
posscssor of a superior judge which
is able to save not only the county
but every litigant in the county
money. 1t is very expensive to have
cases reversed and tried a second
time, and people should have re-
gard Tor judge who possesses the
ability to render decisions which hold
water ever after they leave his
desk.
There IS one other thing in the
candidacy OF Judge Smith which is
creating favorable comment every
where in the county, and that is
his remarkable facility of keeping
his campaign above petty politics.
He is not STOPPING to anything that
can compromise him, and is not
mingling with the ultra-politicians
in anything that pertains to party
manipulation. something that ap-
peals to people who are longing for
the arrival OF the day when courts
and schools are freed from the yoke .
OF partisanship and elevated to a .
pedestal the height of which pro-
hibits the filth of politics from con
Eliminating judicial or educational
robes.