The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-10-24
Minnesota NelUs and
Comment
BY r. w. HITCHCOCK
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To most people the State Supreme
Court is lost in the limbo of forgotten
things. That it exists at all is recalled
only when, at long intervals, it hands
down some decision that touches us
personally-or that balkS the vaulting
ambition of some politician and spills
his patent medicine remedies harmless
ly on the ground.
Even then it is often difficult for us
to sense the fact that the Supreme
Court is one of the three coordinate
powers of our government, equal in
authority and power to the executive,
which struts in the spotlight and con-
stantly endeavors to enlarge its powers,
and equal also to the legislative, dl-
rectly representative of the people, but
always battling to maintain its place
in the sun against the agreSSlonS OF
the executive.
The lawmaker and the executive
preen themselves in the public eye, but
the Judge works in the SecluSion OF his
chambers. When he speaks, however,
his word is as weighty as that OF the
others.
The Minnesota Supreme Court meets
in January and continues in session
throughout the year. vacationing usu-
ally in the summer months. Its fall
sessions are now being held-from Sep
TENDER 23rd to october oath, November
4th to 9th, December 9th to 10th.
The doors of the Supreme Court
chamber are open wide. Any OF the
first four days of the week you may
stroll into that quiet chamber, find the
seven justices in black robes sitting be-
hind a long desk at the rear, lone
= lawyer standing at a table in the cen
ter of the room and talking in voice
that is scarcely more than audible te
the perhaps three or four not more
than half-curious citizens who have
happened in. Here the cases are Sc
dately argued one after the Other
while the seven black-robed justices
look impaSSively on. Later they re-
tire to discuss and study the cases anc
to prepare their opinions dgmentS
that are as vital and just as decisive III
government as acrimonious debates to
crowded galleries in the legislative
halls or as the thunder from the exc
cutive throne.
The political sun does not beat down
so hotly upon the Supreme Court
chamber as it does upon the reception
rooms and the inner holy of holes Of
His Excellency's Office or upon the floor
and the corridors and the committee
rooms of the two houses of the law
making arm of the state government
Nevertheless, it is fact that among
those seven black-robed justices, sit
ting so quietly day after day in the
quiet of that peaceful chamber are
two who may at any moment be cat
apulted into the hurly-burly OF partl-
san politics in Minnesota.
There is the Chief Justice himself
sitting in the center of that line Of
seven black-robed justices, John P. De-
yaney, a traditional Democrat although
appointed by a Farmer-Labor COVER
nor, a man of great ability AMI rare
political talents. Chief Justice De-
vaney is talked of as a candidate in the
Democratic primaries for United States
senator from Minnesota. Should hs
consent to become a candidate, what q
rafting of dry bones he would make
in Minnesota!
At the Chief Justices left sits JUS
tice Royal A. Stone, prominently men
toned as a Republican possibility fol
United States senator, not only 9
learned Judge, but student of politics
and economics, who holds public SER
vice in high regard as an opportunity
for human usefulness, than which
there can be no higher or more noble
ambition.
What a singular circumstance thai
here, on this dignified bench, side pJ
side. under the austere black robes o.
the high court, is perhaps the same
high ambition looking toward the same
high Office, but looking toward two div
ergent paths to that eminence OF poll
tics and craftsmanship, the Unitec
States Senate!
Francis H. Shoemaker, stormy petre
= of radical politics, ready at the drop o.
the hat not only for the irresponsible
tiles and excitements of the soap boz
b,,t also for a street brawl of any kind
happened in the capitol the other day
and in the corridor CHANGED upon Mag
nus Johnson, puSsyfooting there tol
votes, perhaps, in his announced cam
paign for the Farmer-Labor nomlna-
ton for governor.
well, Magnus, I'm going tc hle
again." said the man who is no re-
spector of places, be they Congress OF
the penitentiary, will you give me
your support"
ooh, sure" doomed back the ready
Magnus, "whatcha gonna file for?"
'SWhy, for governor, of course" said
Shoemaker.
What" yelled Magnus. And the re-
sulting explosion shook the dome OF
the capitol, fire snorted from the nos
trils of the four gold horses, and the
capitol custodian L. A. johnson and
his cohorts came running fearful oil
damage done to the building.
November 1886 is far away but its
echoes resonantly rumble before.