, 1876-12-03
THE COOK COUNTY COURTS.


islature can be induced to follow the aovice
Of TIE TRIBUNE and go to Springfield with
preconcerted plan of action, SO lar IS 'n0
necessities and interests Of Cook county a,e
concerned, there is one matter which snoo1o
take conspicuous place in their programme
We refer to the necessity for an increase IL
the number of our local Judges. Ihere u
little doubt that Cook County is no" en1i.ieo
to two additional Judges under the constitu-
tionnl provision. In framing the Consult.
ton Cook County was made m independent
judicial circuit, with five Circuit Judges, ana
three Judges known as the Superior cour''
but having the same jurisdiction as the clr-
chit Court 1t was further provided, how
ever. that "The General Assembly may H.
crease the number Of said Judges by addlng
to either Of said courts for every aodlt1onA.
so 900 inhabitants Of said county over ano
above population Of 100000" 1t Is ms
duty Of tho Legislature now to give tl.'s
county the benefit of the provision to 1ne
extent we are entitled tolt.
It will not be necessary, as we conceive LIZ
to make special census to ascertain the
population Of Cook County for this purpose
There is nothing in the Constitution reqolf~
ing this, and any fair way of ascertaln1ng the
| incubation will suffice to warrant the Le9ls-
lature in giving the county its proper quota
| of courts, The last school census taken py
the city some months ago showed the popu-
lation Of Chicago to be 100000, and it is not
probably less than 415,000 now. But there
were 1000 votes at the recent election IN
those parts of Cook County lying outside the
city limits. Estimating the population out
side Of the city limits to be G. to every voter
which was the proportion inside the city llm-
its, this would give Cook County outside OF
the city $1,000 population, which, added to
the 415, GOO in the city, would make tho total
population Of the county 506,00o. Ihls
would entitle us to two more Judges, one OF
whom might be attached to the SUPERIOR
and the other to the Circuit, Court. For
the purpose of the legislation necessary to
secure these additional Judges, We should
think the population might be ascertalneo
by aegregating the school census Of the city
with the census taken for the school o'str1cts
outside tho city.
Everyone at all familiar with the business
Of the Cook County courts will agree tha'
there is an imperative necessity for this IN
crease to facilitate the business in keeping
with Justice to the itigants. The court dock
cts are crowded to such: an extent al
to occasion not merely inc9nTenience
but serious loss. It is to be hopet
that, some day not far distant, there will b'
q scheme Of law reform which will practical
" prevent the clogging Of the court docket
with cases Of minor Importance, suggested
!, by petty spite or to secure Oklay, but mean
while it is obviously unjust that bona td
and meritorious litigants should be pnnlshe
for lack of proper court facilities. There
no reason in the world why there should b
any objection by the rest Of the State to tn
, increase of Cook County Judges. In
State only pays these Judges the same salar
paid the country Judges, and Chicago pay
fully one-third of that; all additional salar
is paid by Cook County alone. There IS Il
e1aggeraton in saying that one-half OF the e1
= tire litigation Of the State or iginates in Coo
t County, and the great comm er cial important
L of this city, which largely produces it, is
|. euunl concern in this regard with the balanf
|, of the State. It is to the common intere
}. Of all the people of the State that chicae
g and its business be properly protected, an
S quick relief in the courts is one OF II
b essentials to that end. The Cook Count
10 delegation ought to go to Springfield with
). project in perfect shape to secure sue
3 LEGISLATION as will give US the two addition
s Judges to which We are clearly entitled.