Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-10-15
GETTING DOWN TO
kASSTACKS
ISSUES IN POLITICS

1t seems most unfortunate that the
selection of a district judge should de-
velop into a contest over the location
of the court chambers. If one is to fol-
low the arguments as advanced by the
Wolf Point Herald, The Roosevelt
County News, or the inclinations of the
Medicine Lake Wave, then the quail
hcatims of a man to preside over our
courts is to be measured in terms of
geographical importance or on the
merits of the judges ~stenographer. Ii.
other words, even should a candidate
have had more experience in judicial
procedure than another, and should he
have proven himself highly capable
through such actual experience in per-
forming the duties Of district judge.
that in itself would not be sufficient
to determine a voters choice. His home
must be in the RIGHT CITY, and the
location of his chambers must suit the
taste of the majority of voters!
The Herald has no quarrel with cit
liens of Roosevelt county who would
like to see the district court chambers
moved to their county seat of Wolf
Point. That is only a matter of com
munity loyalty, an expression of en-
thusiasm that accompanies any citi-
zen's desire to see his home town 60
ahead. But we do think it is putting
'the cart before the horse" to consid-
err location first, and a candidates
qualifications second. So far as Medi-
cine Lake is concerned, we doubt ser
iously if the attitude of the newspaper
there reflects the opinion Of the ma
jority of the citizens. With Plentywooo
only a half-hour's drive from the
Lake, we can hardly conceive of a
situation where a community would
harbor such jealousy towards its coun-
ty seat neighbor as to want to penal
ize itself in accommodation and SER
vice, or to let a small minority do it
for them. It is high time that we cease
to let petty jealousies or old-time
grudges sway us into acting against
our own best interests or those Of our
community.
The Wolf Point papers contend thot
more cases are docketed and heard in
Roosevelt county than any other in
this judicial district, and for that rea-
son the court chambers should be
moved to hat city. Records do not
bear out this contention, and next
week the Herald expects to publish
some facts concerning court records
which it is now compiling that may be
enlightening even to our brother pub
fishers.
And, peculiarly enough, with all the
arguments advanced, we have yet to
hear that which is most pertinent TO
the reelection Of Judge Paul-that he
has not made a good record or that he
has not fully demonstrated his ability
as a Judge. So, if voters are to make
their choice between Mr.. Walton and
Mr., Paul, and since it is a question OF
whether or not Judge Paul should be
returned to office, let us have some
more constructive arguments as to why
the Judge should be retired than mere
w that the court chambers should he
moved to Wolf Point.
Something happened in Minnesota
recently that causes US to look beyond
the scope of this years election and
wonder what the future holds for the
Two major parties from one OF which
surely a president will be selected this
wear. A coalition was effected between
the Democratic and Farm-Labor par
ties in that state. The Democratic can
didates for governor and U. S. Sen
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