New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-23

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| something of the law, but we were Overruled
| and this Office was thrown open to all
| corners Any man who can get nominal
ton for any political Office can be parish
| Judge in any parish. 1t is not even necessary
| that he should know how to read or write,
or that lie SHOULD be acquainted with
any fundamental principle OF law. | agree
with the Senator from Union Mr.. Futch
that there should be some inducement helt
out to men OF superior ability to take the
office. but l doubt if an addition of five
| hundred dollars IA year will supply that i'll
| ducement. If we could SO fix it that the
| position should be respectable: if Nawyels
would look forward to It as in the line OF
| promotion from the practice of their protes-
sion to the highest steps i'll the judiciary, it
| seems to me our prospects would be better.
! The State Of Louisiana is not very
well able to increase the salaries
| of her officers ust now. | agree
| witt, my distinguished friend, the Senator
| from Claiborne that, as ii general rule. Off
| GERS are better paid i'll this State than any
where else. In the State come from. thirty
| five hundred dollars is the salary of the Sl-
| preme Court J I'D gcs-men who have devoted
their whole lives to their profession ana
| become eminent in it : and they serve the
| State fully as well and honestly for thirty
| five hundred dollars year as our own
| judges do on double the amount.
a Senator: What State is that
Mr.. McMillen: The state of Ohio. 1t is a
| court elected by the people, and the very
best lawyers seek this position at these
low salaries. There the doctrine prevails
that these positions are an honor. and they
are sought for accordingly. Now, then, if
we can make our iudgeships desirable
professional positions, and if men could be
selected on account of their fitness, it
would be better than to offer this additional
pecuniary consideration which, am afraid.
will not prove attractive alone to lawyers.
but also to Il large class OF men throughout
the State who are more able to
control votes and not 50 fitted to
occupy the high position of parish
judge. The ground l take is
that the pec,lniarv advantage should be left
out OF consideration, and that the offices
should be filled by men who have q,aliIica-
tons for the positon-mcn who enjoy the
respect OF the community; men who will
feel rewarded by the discharge of the du-
ties which are at once an honor and Il
pleasure. l therefore hope that this bill
will not pass. and that if we do anything at
all with the parish courts of this State, it
will be t. hedge the Office round by some
sort of a constitutional amendment which
will make it more respectable, more im-
portant and more de,iral bic III a profe Ssional
point OF view.
Mr. Futch: acknowledge that this ques-
ton is not without some difficulty; but the
very reason given by those who are opposed
to this increase of salary is the very reason.
the controlling reason. why l think the sal
AIRY should be increased. The constitution
allows anybody who can get a majority of
votes to be parish judge. l think that Is IL
very unfortunate provision of our consttu-
ton. amonsa great many other unfortunate
provisions. Itis to be regretted that parish
Judges are not required to be selected from
those who are acquainted with the law: but
inaSmuch As it is not so. ilasmuch as. under
the constitution, the contest is open to per-
sons perfectly incompetent
Mr.. McMillen: Let Us change the constl
tuition.
Mr.. Futch: | should bc very glad 10 do
that. but probably we should not he able.
These parish Judges decide nine teuth> of
the cases between the litigants i'll our States
where small amounts and poor people are
concerned. and in discussing what salaries
these important officers should receive.
must tell the gentleman Mr.. McMillen
that the people of Louisiana are not the
same kind of people as the people raised III
the State where he was riZ they are
different people. with different habits. and
"a q general thin. they endcavor to act out
different principles. | know Louisiana has
generally been insthe habit OF paving high
salaries. and has always been an cxtrava-
CANT State. You cannot get people here to
hold Office unless they are paid for If. We
count dollars as the people from his
[Mr. McMilen'Sl State count cents.
Mr.. Nc Millen: That's ii candid confession.
anyway.
Mr.. Futch: Such is the fact, and you can
not change this habit of Il lifetime in IL.
hurry.
Mr.. Blackman: | again say. | believe
these salaries are ample. and hope the bill
will not pass. If my friend. Mr.. McMillcn.
is in favor of reform, he certainly has my
cordial support. If Louisiana has always
been an extravagant State do not see why
il is not time now to commence reformation.
Ii ever there was a time when the people
demanded reform. it is now. The people
demand OF the Legislature to stop this law
ish expenditure OF the peoples money.
They demand. also. that when IL man has
been elected to AN office by the people he
should rest content with the emolument-
prescribed. If the senator from Carroll
Mr.. McMllenl. although he comes from
another State. where they look upon dollars
is we do cents. wishes to bring about this
state OF things here, l will join with him. l
say that the people of Louisiana ask lis to
regard cents-aye. even mills-more than
we have done dollars in the past. This
proposed increase will do no good. If the
II
for parish Judge, if he did not belong to the
dominant political party i'll his own par
ish he could not be elected. Every position
in the State has been turned into IA political
one from the Supreme Court down. In the
good old times men were put into Office be-
cause of their capacity: but now they are
elected because of their tealtv to their
party. If we make the salary ten thousand
dollars instead of three, it will not be the
best lawyers that will get the po-
sitiOn, but the men who can do
the most for the party i'll power
the men who can do more acts of corr,lp-
ton and who can assist their party better
than any decent Judge would do. These are
the men who would be chosen, and as | am
opposed to raising the salary of any officer
of the State l shall move to rceOnmt this
bill. l hope the Legislature will take this
opportunity of saying to the people Of this
State that we will not raise the salaries of
otficehOlders: if they don't like it let them
resign. There are not five parish Judges in
the State who, if turned out of office, could
make thousand dollars Il year at any other
avOcatiOn.
You can not get better men by raising
tho salaries. Did you get better men ON
the Supreme bench when you raised the
salaries. Is it not a fact known to all of u.s.
adorned the Judiciary not only Of our own
State, but of the world! In times past, men
took office in Louisiana for the dignity and
honor thereby conferred. 1t is different in
tho times in which we live. There is no
more dignity about a parish Judge than
about constable The whole machinery
of the State is changed. Whatever party Is
in power-whether Democratic or Rcpub
lican if they can elect man who is not 3