Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-07-16
GREAT ISSUE OF 1910 Is AGAIN
RAISED IN WILLIAMs-eURRoW
RACE FOR SUPREME COURT.
NOT PARTISAN CANDIDATE
Independent Democrats and Republl-
cans Have Endorsed Williams, and
Many Regulars Support Him.
Must Come Out and Vote.
Fine Record on Bench.

clary, "ageu and won in 1910 no judicial
race In Tennessee, has ever attracted the
attention Of the people OF the state to the
extent that the present contest between
Judge sam c. Williams and Judge Robert
Burrow is doing.
Should the people OF the state show
their real interest In the preservation of
the freedom of their Judiciary by coming
TO the polls and voting on August 6. there
is no doubt of Judge Williams election.
There is but one danger to his candi-
dacy, and that Is the tendency of those
who have no local candidates in the field
to fail to come to the polls A large and
strong element of Regular Democrats has
come to the support of Judge Wiliams,
and If the usual Independent Democrat
and Republican vote Is cast, there is no
doubt Of his election
The 1910 fight attracted more attention.
perhaps than the present contest, for the
sole reason that there were ten judges to
be elected then. and only one now. other
wise, the issues are almost precisely the
same.
In 1919 three members of the Supreme
Court, with two other attorneys and five
candidates for the Court of Civil Appeals,
declined 10 submit their candidacy to a
political primary, and went directly to the
peepIe on the ground that the Judiciary
of the state should be free from and
above political considerations, either in
its decisions or in the selection of its
members. The people of the state en-
dorsed this position by the greatest ma
1ority ever given any ticket in Tennessee.
Four years later the situation repeats
itself. A vacancy on the Supreme Court.
arising from the resignation of Judge
John X. Shields was filled by the APP
pointment by Governor Hooper of Sam c.
Williams. a native of West Tennessee,
but for twenty years a resident of john
son City, and one Of the ablest and most
honorable lawyers of East Tennessee, to
the bench. Judge Williams was law
yer and a business man, and was not,
never had been, and is not yet a poif7
tician.
Even before the vacancy arose. how
ever, and while Judge Shields was can
didate for the Senate, Judge Robert Bur-
row, a fellow townsman and close friend
of John /. Cox, whose efforts had been
put forth in 1912 to keep down opposition
to him in his legislative race, was in
Nashville working for Shields election.
1t was then currently reported that
Judge Burrow was to be Shields success
sor, If the Chief Justice became Senator.
That this report was true later events
have proven. .a
Judge Williams served a year and
half on the bench, to the eminent salts.
faction of bar and public, but when the
time came for him to offer for reelection
1T was also time for the redemption of
Senator Shields political obligation to
Judge Burrow.
Why They Oppose Him.
the Regulars of the state oppose Judge
Williams.
A further reason for opposition of an
other portion is that Judge Williams DID
not submit his claims Sor election to the
political convention which the Regulars
held in Nashville in May. His claim
was not upon the Regular organization
for political service rendered 1t was
upon the people of the state, for faithful
and efficient judicial service He sub
mitted it. therefore, direct to them, and
in 80 doing gave mortal offense TO that
portion Of the Regulars who still regard
political lines as OF controlling importance
in electing judges. -.
He might, even at the last, nave pla-
Gated these and secured a Regular nom
nation if ne had been willing to go into
a factional scramble for judicial honor.
He was not, however in spite OF the fact
that in Regular county conventions he
had received considerable number OF IN
structed votes without asking for Them
and that Judge Burrow had failed to Sc
cure endorsement in probably major
ity of the counties of the state
The Independent Principle.
The time has come in Tennessee,
though, when a large majority OF the
voters whether Regulars, Independents,
or Republicans. do not apply political
tests In judicial races. To these people
fudge Williams, who stanas for the prin-
Iiple of an independent and non partisan
judiciary, makes strong appeal.
He put his case directly to the people
in August. He received the endorsement
of the Independent Democratic and Re-
publican conventions, unanimously, not
because he went before those conventions
and asked for it--for he stayed in jack
son and held court steadily during the
convention time-but because they ia
vored his idea of the non-partisan judi
ciary. =.
the Regular convention, because, largely.
of the fact that in that heated political
contest the various candidates Tor GOV
ernor We're afraid to offend the Burrow
mated though they knew that it weak
ened the chances of election of the guber-
material nominee,
ard growing number of Regular Demo-
Gratis His campaign committee consists
Of one Regular, one Independent and one
Republican from each grand DIVISION VI ION 20, OF
VILE a prominent Regular, as chairman.
The broad and non partisan spirit of
he supporters of Judge Williams was
ikingly illustrated in the formation OF
Williams Club at Nashville. This club,
IL Tganized on the call of fifteen hundred
%,>ters is composed of men of all shades
Iyof political opinion. One OF the speakers
at the first meeting said: 1--WE may diff
fer in politics, but we choose our Judges
as we do our doctors. by their qualifi-
cations.
Since the defeat of the attempt to APP
ply political tests for judges in 1910 there
have been two races for the supreme
Court In 1912 Judge Buchanan, appoint
ed by Governor Patterson. and Regular
Democrat received the reward of service
wei done and was accorded an unop-
posed race for election by Independent
Democrats and Republicans. A large part
of the Regulars, in 1914. are according the
same treatment to Judge Williams:
In spite of Judge Williams remarkable
popular strength with all classes, how
ever. there lis one danger to his election
He has not the support of strong com
pact political organiza tons, which are able
to poll their full strength. He is not a
politicians candidate. and IL is all the
more necessary. therefore, for the people
who stand for the principle of free and
untrammeled judiciary to register their
viii at the polls ON August Q.