Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-08-06
The New Constitution.
\ FEW PLAIN FACTS.

the 18th Of August, Is question of no
ordinary importance. Politics should
not for moment be an element enter
ing into The solution of the proposition
the New Constitution Is an improve
ment upon the present one. if it is bet
ter, then whatever good there is in it,
that is not in the old, is ofequal benefit
to every man, no matter what his pOlit-
ical proclivities may be? Looking
then at it aside from party bias, is it
not more economical, is it not essential
ly great improvement upon the oil
Constitution
Much has been said about it being
more expensive to carry on the ma
chinery of the New ConstitutiOn-that
the proposed system will cost more to
the people than the one now in force;
indeed some fsnatical gentlemen have
put in public print the unreasonably
absurd idea, that it will cost to the peO-
pie 81 900, 900 more money yearly than
it now costs. That is utterly and abso-
IuteIy false. All that is necessary for the
triumphant adoption OF the Constitu-
ton is for every one to read it. Let us
direct your attention to some matters
of reform suggested, and see whether
there is any truth in the matter sought
to be promulgated that the admins
tration of the New Constitution will be
more extravasant than the old. No
man can put his finger upon any prop
osition in it, where it will cost more to
the people unless it be TO the Judici-
airy system; but with the trifiing in-
crease in that respect let US look and
see whether the undGubted benefits
which follow do not more than com
pensate for this slight increase Of cost
before we consider matters Of unques-
toned retrenchment.
There are at present fifty Common
Pleas Judges with a salary of $500
each per year, amounting in the aggre
gate to s125, ,G00-the expense beyond
that is the Circuit Court, which tikes
the place of the District Court; this is q
new Court, l.0t adding any more
Courts for the reason that the District
is abolished, an the Circuit takes its
place. We ;hiiik the movement is a
wise one for reasons which we viii
suggest for your consideration in q
moment.
The Circuit Court will be composed
of q Judges, with salary probably
lS2, 500, equal to the Judges of the Com.
mon Pleas; that would amount to So,
500 more than the Judiciary now eX.
listing, but the number of Common
Pleas Judges will be reduced from sc
to A, making less in number; theil
salaries at $500 each would amount
to SI5, 900 leaving as an actual increase
of cost to the people the sum of S37 800
But if this New Constitution is carried
the Common Pleas Judges would be
: relieved of great many of the duties
now devolving upon them; six or eight
weeks of every year they are required
to attend to the business of the District
Court; during all that time excepting
when that Court is held in their own
county, they arc absent from home
upon extra expense, and is it not rea-
sonable that a Judge who is satisfied
now with $1,000 per year and performs
the labor connected with the District
Court would very readily be willing tC
receive as salary the sum of 81 O0O
and be exempted from the performance
of those duties? The reduction of theiI
salary is matter for the legislature. II
that should be done, and the salary Ol
Common Pleas Judges be reduced $500,
and there being forty-four Judges il
: would amount to $22, ,0G0, which taken
/, from $37 500 would leave the actual net
} increase SIS, 500 for the eatire change in
} the Judiciary of Ohio.
} But whether such reduction be made
or not, will not the advantages of this
; Court of itself alone fully compensate
the people? Every one wishes to avoid
3 hut no man can tell when he will bt
forced into a law suit. Suppose We
look at our Courts as they now are and
what is proposed ? and if you should
get into law suit which would you
= prefer? AS it now is, Common Plea.
Judge who decides case in his Cour
is also member of the District Court
A litigant who appeals from the Com
: mon Pleas to the District does so witt
the full assurance that at least on,
!; member of that Court is against him
8 that he has not only expressed an opin
: ion, but has by solemn Judicial fiat 81
!. decided; each member of that Cour
!: occupies the same position as to case
: taken up from his own subdivision. l
makes no difference how honest thes
Judges may be, and we here assert tina
we firmly believe that there is not
more honest Judiciary anywhere thai
l the Common Pleas Judges of Ohio
/ Yet, it would be more than human Ma
O ture, if each Judge did not desire +
l have his own opinion sustained, and
3 that desire did not imperceptibly an,
/ unknown to themselves, have some in
/ fiuence UPON the members of the Court
3 each of whom knew that his own judg
9 ments were to be passed upon. We be
: lieve they intend to do exactly righ
2 between man and man, and as Com
4 mon Pleas Court they do the best {
X their ability; yet at the same time ther
is no man who las carefully considere
proposition and passed his judgmer
q upon it but knows that it would /
much harder to convince him thu
y; that judgment was wrong than whe
:, first considered; be that as it may
o. there is no shirking the proposition
y, that every suitor who appeals his cas-
knows that he goes into Court whel
T. one Judge is against him because h
In has so said and decided. We make n
In reflections upon our Common Pie;
In Court, but upon the system; the Con
mon Pleas remains as before, eXcep
a. ing that they do not sit in the Distri
n Court. The same state of things exis
N ed in the Supreme Court until recent,
u. a member of that Court sat upon tt
District Bench-one member of tn,
ID Court had passed upon the questio!
Z; and his opinions and his judgment Wei
before the public. We venture thel
Us is no man in all this community b;