NON-PARTISAN PLAN WORKS IN MISSOURI

Dear Editor:

Concerning appointed judges in Missouri, as a Democrat I am not pleased that all recent appointments seem to have been Republicans. However, I became well acquainted with Duane Benton in dealing with constituent problems and am convinced that his appointment to the Supreme Court was first class.

Like many others, I believe the courts should be non-partisan. I would hope that future governors would base their appointments on qualifications and not politics. Then we, as voters, could judge them solely on their performance.

With the general feeling of anti-incumbency and the clamor for term limitations, this year could see this vital independence that the non-partisan plan has afforded, challenged as we cast our vote for retention of these judges. The program has worked in Missouri, has been copied by half of the other states and should be retained to assure an independent judiciary.

Ollie Amick

Benton