The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-02-06
SUPREME COURT CONCENTRATION.

/ We are surprised to see the Chicago Ind'S'
/ trial Age lend itself to the movement OF adoz'
en- of interested Chicago and Springfield law
yers, in favor of abolisEing the Supreme
Court divisions of this state and concentrating
the court at Springfield.
There are Just two motives at the bottom
of this movement, so far as the Chicago law
yers are concerned and these are, first, that
it will give them four terms "A year instead
of one, and thus enable them to get a great
many more cases appealed to the Supreme
Court; and second, that it will place an enor.
nous amount of that sort of business into the
hands of half dozen leading Chicago prac-
ttioners, who will make attendance on the
court at Springfield a specially, and who,
thus having q sort of monopoly Of the bust.
ness, can charge whatever fees they please
and make a "big thing" of it.
A third motive at the bottorl OF the move
ment is found in the selishncss of Spring |
field herself that is always ready for any
grab on the state treasury, and in the selfish |
ness of half dozen of her lawyers who are
actuated by the same patriotic motive of
big fees that move the Chicago practitioners
above alluded to,
The pleas of economy and convenience are
such shallow ana diaphonous bosh that we
are surprised the 1ge is SO blind rs not to see
it. Economy in what? No bill any one has
thought of proposing IN the legislature to cf.
feet the consolidation gives the slightest init
nation of reducing any clerk S or other fees,
or even to reduce the number of clerks or as
sistants and for the obvious reason, that not
only will all the present clerks be needed, |
but under the increased business the quadru-
the court, a large addition to the clerical force
will become necessary.
Aud where is the convenience? 1t is more
for the eight hundred litgants,
the rcmotest of whom lives within so miles
of Ottawa, and Il majority Of them within 40
miles to attend, or send attorneys to attend
to their business 100 to POO miles away at
Springfield, than to attend the court at Ottawa
which they can reach by u two or three hours
ride?
The same argument, on the score Of con
vencnce and economy, would dc away with
The circuit court system, and concentrate the
business of each circuit at one central point
Why not? In circuits composed of half a
lOzcn counties the services of that number
If clerks, bailiiis court houses, &c, &c, could
be dispensed WITH and The saving would be
The litigants, however, who must !,
pay their own and attorneys travelling fees,
BOARD bills, &c, would howl to different
une.
There IS no economy or convenience about
t except in the eyes OF Springfield and Chi Il
ago lawyers. The judges do not ask for
for their salaries are so small
nd terms so short and uncertain that none
f them would think of changing his resi-
ence to Springfield, and it is just as con
enient for them to go to Ottawa or Mount
Icrnon, and they rather like the recreation. :
We hope the Age will take better view of
his matter and not lend its influence, which
'c are far from undertaking, to the promo. T
ion of project which is strongly imbucd /
nth the monopoly spirit Of selfish greed and '
INJUSTICE,