The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-02-24
PERTINENT POLITICAL PRATTLE
(By A. T. Edmonston.)

(By A. T. Edmonstor)
jefferson City, Mo-, Feb. 92.-Three
Judges Of the Missouri Supreme Court
are to be elected in November, 1929,
to fill the vacancies created through
the expiration of the long term of
Judge Robert F. Walker and the short
terms of Judges Edward Higbee and
Conway Elder. Judges Walker and
Higbee are assigned for duty in Di-
vision Two of this State judiciary
function and Judge Elder to Division
One, Judge Higbee is Presiding JUS
tice Of the division he is attached to.
At the present moment all political
representations presage an over
wheming nationwide landslide for
democracy in the fall, partly due to
broken or WIDELY disregarded party
pledges; the huge increase in unem-
ployme1t and lower wages and longer
nourS FOR the millions who were sup
posed to be directly benefited by the
return to normally; higher taxes and
lower prices for agricultural products
for farmers; the failure to curb profit
eeing on necessities and punish those
who INDUCED in this unpatriotic, in
human practice; the attitude of Con-
gress on the soldiers bonus measure;
the seating of Senator Newberry af-
ter it had been clearly established
that some one had spent $4,000 to
elect him; and for other reasons too
numerous to mention in brief polit-
ical philippe such as this. To insure
Democratic victory in Missouri in
November in keeping with the one
which will sweep over the land, it is
necessary, partisan leaders announce,
that party electors, both men and
women, exercise unusual care at the
August primary in selecting three
Supreme Court candidates, who, not
alone can draw full party vote next
November, but also men whose rec
ords for impartial justice, Legal
knowledge and general fitness for the
high judicial honor they seek, are
well enough known to be accepted
without hesitation by thousands OF
Republicans the state over who have
already announced they will vote "the
other way" at the next general cleo
ton.
Democratic Aspirants Numerous.
Among the Democratic aspirants
who, it is stated, will enter the arena
for the nominations on the party tick
ct for the three coming Supreme
Court vacancies are Judge Walker
present incumbent, whose ten-year
term expires with the close of the
year; Judges William T. Ragland
and John T. White, members of the
present Supreme Court Commission;
Judge E. J. Bean of DeSoto, Demo-
cratic member of the State Public
Service Commission; Judge II. B.
Shain, of Sedalia, now presiding in
the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit which
consists wholly and only of Pettis
county; State Senator VIM. M. Bow
ker, of Nevada, and Haywood Scott,
of Joplin. A general belief exists
that if Attorney Nose NJ. Dawson, of
Kahoka: Clark county, in northeast
Missouri, does not shy his chapeau
into the ring for the Democratic NAM
nation for United States Senator, he
will sedately loom up as a candidate
for a Supreme Court judgeship, sub
ject to the August primary tourna-
ment. With the latter decisive event
still five months distant and the time
for registering official entries not
closing until in early, June, there is
still chance that other Missouri le-
gal lights may declare as party can
didates for the Supreme Court plums.
One requirement of the preliminary
contest is that each such legal gladi-
ator must name the division Of the
Supreme Court he aspires to be a
part of.
Splendid Record of Judge Walker.
AS Judge Walker, present member of
the Supreme Court, has earned a
splendid, unquestionable, and unas-
sailable record for himself during the
ten years he has filled that exalted
position, and that it would be an ex-
ceedingly difficult matter to fill his
place with judge, of equal ability, it
is generally conceded by party lead
ers that he will easily lead in the
August primary contests for one of
the nominations, leaving the other
party combatants to list for the other
two honors. In addition to his ten
year term as a member of the Su-
preme Court, Judge Walker early
laid the foundation for his fitness to
succeed himself through a four-year
term as Attorney General of Missouri
during the period 1S92-1S97.
Judge VIM. T. Ragland, who is a
member of the present Supreme
Court Commission, made a splendid
race for Supreme Court Judge in 1920
by running ahead on the Dem
ocratic ticket, of the majority of
others who were then seeking state
honors. Like other high-class party
nominees, he then went down in de-
feat but with all colors gloriously fiy-
sag FIRM in the belief that the cause
a righteous one and that vindicai-
ton was pttly question until the day
that the full and real meaning of ere
turn to normalcy" dawned upon the
electors of the land. Out OF fairness