Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-05-11
JUDGEGuR GosGn.

Tbs neSsmeot for the appointment sf an sadstant
Asdssal Judge for the district Of North pakoaa Is being
alaeuDed BY lawyers and politicians throughout the state,
ZACH viewing the subject from hs own angle. The reason.
advanced Tor the creation Of the oaacs q assistant judge
y that the preaent tneuHssa<s., Judge Anidon, is some
what old and hnAs tina labor 81 the once too much for
hts strength. 1t will not be long before he has reached
the period Of retirement. and at that time the expectation
Is that the assistant Judge will become the presiding
Judge Of the district, presumably performing the duties
Of the once without ASSISTANCE. Another theory advanced
Is that the motive behind the move for the creation OF "
|aAaskant judssship is purely poitieal. and that there te-
Ing no vacancy Of that nature in this state to be nled
|at present 1t was desired to create ons in order to I'D
place for some moro or less deserving politician.
GoNp has been busy with the names OF several msa
Who are suppesed to have some elatm on this once from
one standpoint o. another. There y q strong suspicion
that IN effort will be made to I'LL the office by appointing
some political understrapper as . reward for hs services
and In expectation that he Win continue to be service.
ahie aftse ~ has been appointed. 1t has been asserted
that there-is q we'll defined and compact little political
organization existing for this purpose. Such things have
been known before and history sometimes repsS.s it-alf.
Those who can dtvest themselves tor the moment OF
political bias and personal self interest In the matter Will
admit that the position Of United States, Judge is one
which should be hlied only By the selection Of q man Of
long and suceesdui experience, unauestioned capability,
undouhked integrity, and the very highest type of personal
character. Unless We have a judge whom We can respect,
we cannot hold the right attitude toward the courts In
general and toward our government itself. The Judge
should be. in a sense, the embodiment, at least the repre-
sentative. Of the things for which~our government stands
1t ID objectionable on the part Of any man in public life
to contribute to any movement which will tend to lower
the ideals which belong to our courts.
Men Of the required type are not very numerous;
yt In North Dakota there are enough Of them so that
there need be no particular difficulty in finding a suitable
man, one who will command the respeet and confidence
alike OF the public and Of the lawyers who must practise
before him. II such Z man could be found only in one
party, he should be appointed; no matter what his party.
II the right sort of man eau be found in the political
party which happens for the time being to be dominant
in the affairs of the United States 1t is to be expected that
the choice will be made from that party. There are
Republican lawyers in North Dakota who will measure up
to the requirements and it is from among these therefore
that the selection should be made. In the making OF this
choice. there should be complete cooperation among
those who may fairly be said to represent the party. The
appointment must be confirmed by the senate and in max
ing the selection. consideration should be given to the
wishes not only Of the North Dakota senator's, but Of the
states representatives in congress. 1he political organ
tzat1on in the state is headed by the national conmitte-
man, and 1t u this party ohheer through whom. ordinarily,
recommendations for such appointments come. It is to
be taken for granted that no appointment will be made
in this case which does not meet with the approval of
the national committeeman from North Dakota, and in
reaching his decision this ohicial will naturally confer
With representative men within the party throughout the
state. An appointment made on this basis will be a
creditAble aad satisfactory one: made on any other basis,
it is certain to be unsatisfactory and quite likely not to
be c%reditable.