Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-07-16

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continuous session since Sept. teh -
/ felt that htiganta and lawyer - 9
right to expect that my time sheoSa p
devoted to the hearing, investigation A.
decision OF their cases. The result u
that ! have been able to visit only SIX
Of the towns Of the State, those visited
being In Middle Tennessee during the one
week of vacation that interviewed between
the Nashville term and the Jackson term.
In January last ] issued an announce
meRt OF my purpose to ask for an indorse-
ment OF my record at the August cleo
ton, 1914 and In that announcement
appealed TO men of all parties and fac
tons. My hope was that by faithful ana
unremittinG effort there might be made
a record that would deserve and receive
Endorsement; record sufficiently accept
able to the people of the State to justify
all parties and factions in according me
the remnant -four years. left of the I'M
expired term of Judge John X. Shields, my
predecessor.
The record Of service rendered during
the year and half Of my incumbency is
before the bar and the citizenship In the
published law reports. official and unof-
ficial and by that l am willing to be
tried. Whatever lack there may be does
not come from want of a sincere desire
and purpose to give to the office the best
Of my capacity.
Before going on the bench had never
been in public life had never sought or
held office. MY appointment to the bench
was due, as l conceive, to the fact tho
/ was not a politician; because OF this
the recommendation for appointment was
well-nigh unanimous from the bar OF the
First Congressional District, in which l
have resided for the last twenty-five
years. All elements OF all political parties
and factions in that faction-torn district
combined in that Endorsement
II is submitted that. in fairness, 1t can
not be charged that since my appointment
/ have mixed in political affairs even by
a. lg.vzg - nFaNY ana ~
OF State Executive Committees or at any
one Of the three State Conventions that
have had to deal with the succession to
the seat now occupy.
Two State Conventions have given my
record and candidacy their Endorsement;
but my appeal Is yet to the people ut
large, who. II is believed. have desire
to save their highest judicial office from
a political and, most of all. factional
scramble, and who are unwilling TO pro-
scribe Judge because his political views
do not exactly square with their own
opinions.
In 1912 my associate in service. Judge
Arthur S. Buchanan, who had been ele-
waited to the bench by Governor Patterson
as a regular democrat. stood for indorse-
ment by election. The republicans ana
independent democrats alike accorded hir-
the race without opposition. gladly sup
ported him on his record. Now. after the
lapse of but two years II the situation
be fairly the same as to service rendered,
i can Dut tnfnk tndL tneTe are tDOuSanuS
OF regular democrats so fair-minded as
not to withhold reciprocal treatment.
Is 1t argued that I have not the nomi-
nation Of democratic convention7 MY
predecessor, Judge Shields, was elected
without such a nomination Despite ad-
verse nominations by that party, he and
his four associates were elected. The
seat hold was. as conceive, thus dedi-
Gated by the people to Independence and
freedom from partisan test for eight years,
not four. At whose instance, and for
what reason, Is the position to be forced
back into politics in mid-term7 I ask
for the fragment Of that term as non
partisan candidate. VIII it not be time
enough to apply a partisan test after the
period OF dedication Is passed?
The democrats OF Tennessee approved
and applauded the acts OF republican
presidents when Harrison appointed How
ell e. Jackson. Of this State. to the bench
OF the Supreme Court Of the United
States, and when Taft raised Judge Lur-
ton, Tennessee democrat. to the same
bench. Tennessee democrats, least of all,
standard for the judiciary. VIII they ap-
ply stricter purely factional test, and
disrobe State Judge who has been
q lifelong democrat on the ground that
crat on certain issues? For my part,
believe that a vast number Of them will
decline to depart from the Buchanan
precedent; that they have no desire to
in return. To them ! appeal
To those who have been In the ranks
OF the independent democrats, whether
they be at this time thermometers or not,
call attention to the fact that the inde-
pendent democratic movement originated
In the campaign OF 1910. the fundamental
principal of which was that Judges OF the
Higher Courts should not be made or I'M
made at the dictation or behest OF the
politician: and that the Supreme Bench
above an should be freed from the de-
moralising influence of the domination
of any faction or boss
Upon republicans my chief claim FOR
support lies, / repeat, in the pledge, duly
to be kept. that II / am honored by the
people In an Endorsement OF my record
shall devote my best energies to the office
az a servant OF no party. but OF the whole
people. intent only on its duties and on
seeing that as little as possible of the
politician shall appear in the Judge.
Eighteea months absence from home In
the service of the State serves to dissi-
pate ones professional practice and to
give a wrench to ONES private affairs: as
my brethren Of the bar readily under
stand.
Any injustice that might be done TO the
Individual by refusal to so indorse would
be insignificant, however. as compared
the judiciary n the Buchanan precedent
should now be reversed, and another es-
tabiished that puts on apopintees to the
Appellate benches the expenses and strain
Of campaign during and following a
year Of grinding court service. Many
pointment under such conditions. In All
fairness should any Judge. " he has done
his duty, be thus subjected?
II is for the bar and the people to
decide II Is submitted to their arbitra-
ment
SyrIfNF