, 1875-12-22
PAP OF THE SUPREME 1unora

AAt AnGh lAHt 'At lGuIla VI Inc seventh
District were yesterday Obliged to choose be-
tween two candidates for tho Supreme CourL,
both secona-class in capability for tho work
Of Supreme Judge, nnd ono Of them ro1,,n.
tary randislato while in contempt of court, is
entirely owing to tho niggard1y salary at
tached to tho most responsible judicial posi-
tion in tho state. Our Supreme Judges are
paid but $4,000 year in lieu Of nil fees mud
other compensation, whi1o tlo Circuit Judges
of Cook County receive $1,000 each, and
which is not aolinr too much. Tho work
Of tho Supreme Judge FROM this district is
imnlcasnrably greater ttnn TINT of our Cir
cnit Judges, and The expenses incident to tic
position also very much larger. Tho Circuit
Judges of Cook County are not REQUIRED
to travel Mt nil. 4 Supreme Judge WHO
lveH i'll Chicago must 90 to Ottawa
Tor ono term, to Mount Vernon for another,
md to Springfield for third. Ho cannot
accept railroad passes lao mt,st pay his
travelling expenses, his l,otcl bills, and Incl
dentals These necessary expenses mike
sl'ch serious inroad upon lis snlary tl1at
tho Supreme Judge docs not, as a u,atter Of
fhct, receive ~ much compensation, notwits1-
sEanding the difference in labor md rcspon-
sibility, as q rural Circuit Judge.
Tho dignity Of prosperous State onght of
ltse'f to suggest q moro reasonable compcu-
sation for tile highest Judicial tribunal it
nlnintains. But If this consideration shall
not persuade the Legislature to take some
action III tho matter, then the considerations
of tho pnblio wclfaro ought to coerco an
increase in their pay. The iaea that n
tlrst-e!asa lnwyer in the City Of Chicago
can DO induced to take upon himself tho
immensely hnrl work of Supreme Court
J'ttlgeship from tlis district, Mt net compen-
saton OF not moro than ;$}0On aftcr paying
all necessary expenses, is ridiculoua. If there
wore no serious work attached to tho positiou,
tho honor might bo m attraction to men who
had earned competency in the practice Of
their profession; but tho duties of Supreme
Jn''ga-aa tho Court il organized at present.
aro SO arduous that thoy require u 1nan in the
prime OF life, in vigorous health, Of active
mind, md tho highest legal loarning, to dis
charge them properly. The pay is not equal
to that of first-class clerk or bookkeopor In
q large mercantile or banking establishment,
Good lawyers in Chicago equal in every
way to the positaon-earn MI tho way from
$4,000 to S25,oo n year, and it is folly to
expect TINT thoy will abandon practice 80
rolnnnorasive for p1aco Oh tho Supreme
Bench for really only 81, GOO year and much
harder work.
Tho difficulty Of finding competent mon for
the Supreme Bench at the present pay will
increase instead of decreasing. The bost
Legal talent Of tho State will naturally erayi.
tato toward the largc cities, and al tho cities
become larger and more important tho good
lawycrs will be ablo to enrn moro money in
their practice. This question IN, therefore, q
serious one, and should not 10 neglected by
the next Legislature. If the Court of last
resort in this State is to 10 kept puro and
able, more reasonable compensation must
bo affixed to the position.