Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-10-13
PROTECT TuE JUDICIARY.

Before the meeting Of the nauona
convention the Journal pointed on
that the nomination Of Justice Hughe
would do violence to an amiable ira
dition that supreme court Justice
/ were not to engage In partisan poll
ties while on the bench nor were
r They to resign for the purpose Of be-
= coming candidates for office IN nc
: other notion Of the world Is there a
p judicial body with such power as that
Of the federal supreme court II
oyerrules congress ana The president
II IS the guardian Of the constitu-
tlonol rights OF the people 1t has
been looked upon with reverence By
the American republic
one Of the consequences Of Mr..
Hughes candidacy Is that he is called
upon to defend and explain the opin-
ion written by him in the Donbury
! Hattors case. There Is not a lawyer
! IN the land who does not know that
the opinion was a just one, and In nc
cord with the constitution Of the
United states The decision Of tho
court could not have been otherwise.
and just
In tho heat Of a political campaign,
Mr.. Hughes IS attacked, because OF
that opinion, as unfrcndly 10 union
labor Becoming Immediately after
his resignation one hundred per cent
candidate. the former justice ot the |
supreme judicial tribunal or the ma
ton finds himself called upon to
make speeches in defense Of that
opinion.
Naturally the suggestion comes up
that Mr. Hughes, or some other SUI
preme court justice with presidential
aspirations, might shape his opinions
Of the constitution and the statutes
with a view 10 Strengthening himself
before certain class Of voters lie
might undertake to render popular
decisions. rather than Just decisions
Should supreme court adopt
policy Of playing to the galleries or
Of serving special interests. tho only
remedy for such abuse would be Inn /
parchment or revolution.
Tho supreme court justices are
merely men; and as Mr. Hughes has {
demonstrated, some Of those men ,
may have ambitions for the prea- ,
ieucy Therefore, if the road rs lcft :
open to them, some Of them may \
Weld to the temptation to play poll +
les on the bench, and thus subycrt =
he ends of Justice.
While there Is no law against a SUI f
,remo court justice becoming a can Il
lidate for the presidency. IN the past \
wholesome regard for public opin- v
on has kept justices from becoming v
Mr. Hughes has broken 1
no traditions, and It is now the duty 4
# the American people To- oEpfoss +
heir disupproyal Of his course at the Il
allot box o
There Is q tradition against a third
erm as president Both Grant and a
roosevelt violated that tradition to ri
he extent Of seolcing nominations for q
third term, but neither Of these v
minent men was able TO even secure n
omnation in the convention Of the s,
ary by which he had boon elected n
lad either OF them been nominated, G,
e would have been defeated at the ii
oils. Roosevelt as placed on the n
clIet Of q third party and polled only ~
bout onc-third of the votes cast ON
lection day. b,
There should be the same dlsap- IT,
ROYAL Of tho candidacy Of Hughes tn
nat would Dee surely registered i''
yainst a third term candidate for ar
no presidency The unquostioned of
ltogrity Of the supreme court is re
uoh more important to the country m
IAN Is the removal OF diplomatic and Is
,nsular officers by new admins
alton. II is more important than SCI
.c protection of Americans who are M
ming In Mexico. wi