The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-06-19
JUDGE S. c. WILLIAMS
GIVES STATEMENT.

| Juusc " hiiatuc pteduc tOf the peopie
to save the supreme court from po-
liticsl, most Of ALL a factional scram.
Bile, " and tells something Of the circum-
stances OF the Buchanan case when that
judge was appointed as Democrat by
Governor Patterson and he was re-elect-
ed by all parties.
The statement follows in full:
To the people OF Tennessee.
1t is now apparent that the Jackson
term of the supreme court, for the west
ern division, will not be concluded until
late date in June, and that this fact
will make it impossible for me to can
vass the State and personally solicit sup
port 10 behalf Of my candidacy to cleo
ton TO the place now hold on the SUI
preme bench. About forty days only
will remain before the date of the cleo
ton in August.
This leaves me the alternative Of ad-
dressing the people in this manner.
Il have declined to visit the counties
Of the State for that purpose during
term time, and court has been in almost
continuous session since September s
last. felt that litigants and lawyers
had right to expect that my time
should be devoted to the hearing, inves-
tigation and decision OF their cases. The
result is that have been able to visit
only six of the towns of the State, those
visited being in Middle Tennessee during
one week of vacation that intervened be-
tween the Nashville term and the Jack
son term.
I In January last / issued an an
nouncement Of my purpose to ask for
an Endorsement OF my record at the
August election 1914, and in that an
nouncement ] appealed to men OF all
parties and factions My hope was that
by faithful and unremitting effort there
might be made record that would de-
serve and receive Endorsement; record
sufficiently acceptable to the people OF
the State to justify all parties and fac
tions in acoordidg me the remnant
-four years. left Of the unexpired term
of Judge John X. Shields, my prede-
cessor.
The record OF service rendered dur
ing the year and half Of my incum-
bency is before the bar and the citizen
ship in the published law reports, Off
cial and unofficial, and by that / ann
willing to be tried. Whatever lack
there may be does not come from want
Of sincere desire and purpose TO give
to the office the best OF my capacity.
NOT POLITICIAN
Before going on the bench / had
never been in public life; had never
sought or held Office. disappointment
to the bench was due, as / conceive, to
the fact that was not politician; be-
cause OF this the recommendation for
appointment was well-nigh unanimous
from the bar Of the first congressional
district, in which 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
IL is submitted that, in fairness, it
cannot be charged that since my APP
pointment have mixed in political af-
fairs, even by attendance at any one OF
those meeting, OF State executive COM
mittees or at any one Of the three State
conventions that have had to deal with
the succession to the seat Inow occupy |
Two State conventions have given
my record and candidacy their indorse-
ment; but my appeal is yet to the peo-
pie at large, who, it is believed, have .
desire to save their highest judicial Of
fee from political, and, most OF all, a
factional scramble, and who are un-
willing to prescribe 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 elevated to the bench by Gov, Pat
terson as regular Democrat, stood for
endorsement by election. The Repub-
licans and independent Democrats alike
accorded him the race without opposi-
ton. / gladly supported him on his
record. Now after the lapse Of but two
years, il the situation be fairly the same
as to service rendered, can but think
that there are thousands Of regular
Democrats so fair-minded as not to
withhold reciprocal treatment.
TT Is argued that have not the NOM
n A. srx,v..,s,t. ks-sx. Mel