The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-02-14
CONSOLIDATING THE SUPREME COURT.

CONSOLIDATING THE SUPREME COURT.
Il For several weeks past limitations ha
been thrown out that strong movement wa
on foot to abolish the Supreme Court Gran
Divisions and concentrate the Supreme Coul
= of this state at Springfield, but our peopl
were somewhat surprised atew days ago t
r see in the Springfield dispatches that bill
to that effect had passed the 7ousc withou
debate and with very little apparent opposi
ton, the vote being 81 for it to less than Al
on the other side.
The movement is understood to be a part o
ring arrangement, involving big appro
pria,ion for Normal school at Carbondale
Feeble Minded institute at Mt. Vernon, and
a pcnitentiary at Alton The Springfield ring
heads the movement to get the big crumb OF
the Supreme Court
The argument of Economy" which is the
convenient cover for most legislative steals
and rascallties in these days, can hardly be
made available in this case, rs no pretcnce
is made of saving anywhere As the same
fees and costs must be paid in every suit, a
session of the court will certainly cost as
much at Sprinfcld as at Ottawa or Mt Yer
non, if not good deal more, and as the state
owns good buildings to accommodate the
court at the three points, there will be no
saving in rent or similar expenses, On the
other hand, while the state thus saves moth
ing the clients, suitors, in short all having
business in the court will be put to heavy
additional expense Ottawa is point Of easy
access to all parts Of this division. Attorneys
and clients from most parts of it can come
here, transact their BUSINESS and 90 home
the same day. Springfield, on the other
hand, is the most inaccessible point of its
size in the state To reach it from Ottawa or
half the towns north of us involves round
about trip by way Of Joliet, Pontiac or La
Sale, and a delay at those places waiting for
the cars Of from . to 10 hours The addition
al cost the people of northern Illinois will be
put to by this removal of the court to Spring
field will amount to enough to pay all the ex.
penses of running the coart 1t is purely
gratuitous and incycusable expenditure to
further tickle the already oyer-treasurv-fed |
nav Of Springfield.
But if the court must be consolidated is |
Springfield the proper place for it? If the
Court House and library at Mt. Vernon and
Ottawa are to be sold, why not take the mon
ry and bulda Court House at Peoria? There
is certainly no more reason why the Supreme
Court should be located within the corrupt
ing atmosphere of the legislative rings and
obbics than the state charitable or penal in.
'titntlops should be located there Nine.
enths of the state would vote to locate the
,oult at Peoria in preference to Springfield.
Peoria is on an average ten hours nearer
o every County Seat In the state than Spring
ield, it is Il much plcasantcr and healthier
,ity, and, so far as public affairs are concern
I'd and the interests Of justice are involved,
in an infinitely healthier atmosphere If the
present arrangement of the court is disturbed,
we give far warning and stake our word on
I, that the next legislature will find itself be.
'iegcd by such demand TO remove the COURT
o Peoria that ii will not dare 70 disregard
i.
We look confidently to the senate to put n
luietus upon this disreputable ring move.
mcnt to get hand into the treasury by means
Of unnecessarily disturbing the present con.
genent and entirely satisfactory arrangement
Of the State Supreme Court, ..
LATER.-Just as We were going to press
asst eveninga despatch was received from
Springfield stating that the movement to
consolidate the Supreme Court was yestcr
lay defeated ia the House.