Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-09-09
STATEMENT.
Washington, d. G.
September 3, 1914.

September 3, 1914.
AS you know, / was nominated as
one of the candidates for supreme
judge at the non-partisan primary
in June. of course was pleased
with that nomination as l believe
thoroughly in n non-partisan judici-
airy. But the election ought to be
non-factional as we'll as non partisan.
In the primary no organization or
special interest promoted my candi-
dacy and, so far as | know, no or
ganization or special interest oppos-
ed it. To be nominated under such
conditions was gratifying to me.
But l must confess that | am not
pleased with the angle that the con-
test for election is taking as shown
by the newspaper clippings reaching
me. This contest is becoming not
only partisan but objectionably fac
lonal. Organizations are trying to
secure the election of judges that
they think have at least a bias in
favor of their cause or interest This
L think, is more Objectionable than
partisan elections. The newspapers
bring the report that the AntisaIoon
League OF the State has endorsed
and is working for certain candidates
evidently because it thinks their de-
cisions have or will show a leaning
toward their cause. The same pap
ers bring the news that the liquor
interests have endorsed and are
working for certain candidates, evil
IDENTIFY actuated by the desire and
purpose of securing some one on the
bench that would be friendly to their
cause or interest. This is drawing
the judiciary into a quagmire that
it has never entered before in Iowa,
and l say frankly that am not will-
ing to become party to it. | do not
desire to be supreme Judge if | would
be compelled to feel that my election
was due to either organization with
the implied bias one way or the 9TH
er that this SUPPORT would portend.
While have been a temperance man
and an abstrainer all my life, ! am
unwilling to be considered candi-
date of the Antisaloon League, or
similar organizations, for supreme
judge with its implied obligations of
judicial bias. If any Of the members
of these organizations deem me wor-
thy and qualified 1 should be pleased
to have their support, but not as a
means or instrument for promoting
their cause. While l have always
felt that the liquor interests should
have the same legal rights in courts
as other litigants, ! should not want
to be considered as the candidate of
those interests with its implied obli-
CATION of bias or favoritism. If
go on the supreme bench | desire
to go free from any such implied bias
or prejudice, and if can not go In
J that way do not desire to go at all.
do not desire TO go there as the rep
resentative of any interest, sentiment
or cause. Under our form of gov
ernment judicial Office is entirely
different from a representative Office.
A representative properly represents
. he N<~ls lot IF hn a
elects him. But judge should rep
resent nobody, no policy, no class, no
cause, no interest 1t is his duty to
declare the law as it is, impartially,
without bias, whether 1t hurts a
friend or helps a foe. Few men have
been found big enough or strong
enough to disregard the influence to
which they owe their election, and
do not claim that / would be. For
this reason do not want to feel that
my election is due to either Of these
organizations. l therefore wish to
publicly announce that do not want
the active assistance of either OF
them. do not want to be consider
ed as the candidate of either.
| l have made bold to confess to the
people of Iowa that have long cher
ished an ambition to sit On the su-
preme bench, but ! have greater
ambition and that is to be true to my
own ideals. And If l can not go on
the bench under circumstances that
| would feel that could be absolute
ly impartial to every man and to ev-
cry interest, l should not care to be
elected.
S. F. PROUTY.
| Of tnn w