The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1916-05-24
Judges and Candidates.

sibIe custom which has grown to enor
nous proportions whereby superior
court judges become standing can
didates for every political Of
fee in sight. We have one conspicu-
Gus case Of the kind in the Eleventh
congressional district. where a Judge
of coErt Of high dignity has been
for months and months flirting with
every political office in the state from
federal judge to congress; from Unit
ed States senator to governor, etc,
ad ininitum. This particular mem
Der Of the state judiciary has even
visited neighboring circuits and here
has converted the superior court
bench into political rostrums from
whose lofty eminence he might the
better enhance his political claims and
ambitions. The thing is fraught with
deep danger TO the bench and to the
people and it ought to be curbed by
legislative enactment.
Holding 10 these views, in which we
believe the people of the state gen
orally will agree, we want to commend
most heartily, the following apropos
of that subject from the esteemed
Waycross Journal. Herald:
For a number of years we have
observed that whenever there is
vacancy in any political office the
name of some Judge of the superior
court and sometimes of an inferior
court is mentioned In connection with
the vacancy; in fact. 1t appears that
the iudgeship is considered a political
Office and "A mere stepping stone to
high political Office or business pre-
ferment. II is frequently the case
that our judges become candidates
for political office and undertake to
use their judicial position as a polit.
ical lever TO- pry themselves into a
more lucrative or conspicuous polit
lcal Office.
Under no circumstances should the |
be considered political |
office; upon the contrary, IL should |
be kept as far removed from politics |
as possible; ii is almost a daily oe
currence that we hear our courts
first upon one ground and |
then upon another Few people pause |
long enough to consider the fact that
our laws are made by the people, our
Judges are elected by the people. our
courts are maintained and establish.
I'd by the people the officers vi the |
court are elected by the people and
lf our courts and our laws are sub
Iect TO just criticism. the people are
II last at fault and responsible there.
or. Instead OF critieizing our courts,
Ne should undertake to asc rtain |
where the fault lies aud endeavor to |
sorreot same, in considering the
courts, the judges would naturally at.
tract first attention
There is no office In the gift of the |
people charged with greater respon.
sihillty than the judgeship. there is
no more honorable Office than the
The men who hold these
offices should be above reproach and |
should be as far removed from oritt |
cism as possible; public criticism, |
when unravorahle. produces public |
contempt and disregard for the law |
and the proper enforcement thereof.
When judge becomes candidate |
fer otlice, while stin holding his
he naturally subjects
TO unfayorable criticism aud
Just suspicion for doing
some act or not doing his full duty
u connection with his office, Then,
90, to a certain extent. the candidate
ndge throttics freedom of speech and
conduct. Litigants and lawyers hest.
ate to oppose the candidate Judge
or fear that their opposition may Of.
yet their interests in the candidate |
Judges court, The courts are the
'arfiers between justice and injus.
ice. We should strc.rthen these
'arriers aud see to it that every safe.
'aard is thrown around our courts
nd the proper administration Of jus