Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1902 — ABOUT THE JUDGESHIP. [ARTICLE]

ABOUT THE JUDGESHIP.

One month from Monday will be held the Republican convention to nominate candidates for judge and prosecuting attorney for this judicial circuit, now composed only of Jasper and Newton counties. Two candidates only are in the field, and it is evident there will be no others. They are William Cummings, of Kentland, and Charles W, Hanley, of Rensselaer. Both axe honorable, competent men, and good lawyers, and whichever of them receives the nomination will receive The Republican’s most cordial support. In saying this much, however, we are not conceding but what there is a large room for choice between the two men, as to their present availability as candidates, and also as to their probable special fitness for filling the responsible office of judge to the best advantage of the greatest number On the contrary, we believe when all these things are fairly considered, and also the political situation in the two counties, the location and fitness of their respective county seats, and the personal fitness and popularity of candidates, it must be seen that Mr. Hanley is far the most available candidate. To start with, a good judge should first be a good lawyer. As to what kind of lawyer Mr. Hanley is, we need only to point to the court records of the Jasper circuit court; and they show that in the six years he has been in the practice here he has tried more cases than any other lawyer at this bar. Scarcely an important trial has taken place in that time, that he has not appeared on one side or the other; and as to his success it is sufficient to say that the best lawyers of this and adjoining counties have declared him to be the most successful trial lawyer in either county of the circuit. Both as a lawyer and as a citizen he is a man of the strictest integrity, and of unblemished moral character. He is a friend of the common people, and his best efforts will always be exerted to protect them from the oppressive acts es those whose profits are made from the misfortunes and financial incapacity of others. He is invariably courteous to all, of unfailing good temper, a fair, frank, open and manly man. He is alert, energetic and diligent in all things, and on the bench will keep the business on the docket right up to date as it always ought to be kept up.

His personal popularity is remarkable, and the better he is known the greater is his popularity. Here in Rensselaer and through the county generally, you can go through the community with a drag-net, and then not find enough anti-Hanley men to make a corporal’s guard. Thus in his nomination we will secure an able, just and popular judge, and at the same time an available candidate, whose name will add strength to the ticket. But on the other hand, the political situation in Newton county is such that the nomination of a Kentland attorney for judge is sure to create great dissatisfaction throughout the greater part of Newton county. The judgship is the most important of all offices in its relation to the county seat fight, and the people of the whole northern, three fourths of that county are already exasperated beyond measure at Kentland’s course in that whole affair, and this bitterhess and exasperation is sure to be greatly increased during the coming summer, when more county eeat elections, and probably fresh petitions will be pending. Great dissatisfaction will bo created

among these people by the nomination of a Kentland man for judge, and as the season advances and the county seat controversy warms up, the dissatisfaction will be greatly increased. Moreover, so long as Kentland, by its dog-in-the-manger policy keeps the county seat from being settled as the people of Newton county want it settled, that town is no fit place for the permanent location of a circuit judge. There is no court house there, worthy of the name, and no jail, and the place is out-of-the-way and difficult to reach. In all of which respects, Rensselaer is in exactly the opposite condition of Kentland.