Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1917-07-20
REPLY OF JUDGE Jones TO Mr.. ELKTNS

Mr. Flkins. one Of my competitors for the judicial
nomination has recently published an article in the
Dresden ENTERPRISE of Weakey county, and also in the
form of circular insisting that had held the office
for greater length of time than usual The facts are
that was elected Attorney General for only two years
in 1884 to fill the unexpred term OF Hon. Rice A.
pierce who was elected to Congress. Afterwards in
the fail Of 1885, was elected to the lower house OF
the Legislature from Benton county. In 1900 was
defeated for Congress. Dec. 70, ISGo' was appOln
ted to the Circuit Court bench on the resignation OF
Judge R. E. Maiden. By appointment served Tor ~
months, was elected then to fill the remaining two
wears of Judge Maden,s term-Was then elected Tor
fha nresent term On the expiration OF this term,
Snnt 1918 will have served as judge Tor eleven
wears and eight months. Is that long time for a
Judge to serve? Let me calmly reclte some puDnc
we'll known history. Judge SWggart was our ClrcWt
Tndca for sixteen wears; John S. Cooper, Chancellor
for sixteen years and they were excellent judges Jonn
Somers of Dresden presided over our Chancery courts
for twenty-five years. Peter Iurney was on Ine gu
preme Bench of Tennessee for twenty-five years con
tnuouslv and then went to the Goverors char Tor
four wears Levi Woods, of Lexington was elected
Circuit Judge for twenty-four years, or three Terms
Albert G. Hawkins of Huntingdon was elected Chan-
cellor for three terms, twentyfour years Judge
Thomas j. Flppin from Fayette county, whom Judge
Maiden succeeded, was Circuit Judge for thlrty-tWo
wears Chief Justice NJ M. Neil OF the Supreme court
Tetres from the Supreme Court next year, after ser
vice of eight years on the Court of Chancery Appeals
and sixteen years on the Supreme Bench or twenty
four years the two courts Judge IyeT OF ClarkS-
VILE has been Criminal Judge at Clarksvllle Tor more
than thirty years.
Under the Federal Constitution, judges appon-
ted for life or good behavior. John Marsha served
as Chief Justice of the greatest court in the world
for thrty-fve years. and Stephen D. Field, OF Cal1or-
MIA as Associate Justice for thirty years.
Mr. Elkns, in his circular, makes no complaint
of nv administration of the office. take PRIDE IN
saving that there has been few reversals by the
Appellate Courts of appealed from our court
as anv Circuit Court in the state He sought and was
allowed an endorsement in the Legislature and AFTER
two terms there he now seeks to displace me Defore
have served term and a nall.
Mr. Elkns claims that at the expiration OF this
term will have collected from the state about thirty
five thousand dollars. This is true but that amount
represents eleven years and eight months OF hard
work on the bench. It is necessary for me to be
awav from home the greater part of my time in hold
ing the courts in the different counties, and the eX
penses amount to several hundred dollars year ANY
lawyer competent for the bench ought to earn that
sum in professional abors less the expense incident
to the office.
My opponent seems to think that because the people
were kind enough to honor him with two terms IN the
State Senate that they to him to elect MN
Circuit Judge The public have no interest IN the
personal aspirations of any individual and owe no
man an office
NY judicial record is before you for consideration
I feel that nv experience on the bench has made me
more competent than ever to pass upon the many
complicated questions that come before the court
If you believe that have made good as Judge ana
been true to my trust hope that you will give me
your support in the judicial primary.
Respectfully,
JOSEPH E. JONES.