, 1877-05-13

taken there before they can be taken t
the Supreme Court Tho motive, Of course
is to increase the cost of litigation, to e1to,
additional fees, to erect additional toll gate
on the road to justice. Heretofore, a ma
taking an appeal had his case sent direct t
the Supreme Court. Both plaintiff ant
defendant had to engage counsel, and whel
the case was heard the decision was final
Under this bill TINT appeal will have to b
taken to the Appellate Court, and counsel vii
have to be employed by both parties to watcl
| it there; costs will be incurred and th'
decision of the Court will, when reached, b.
purely formal, because not final; then tht
appeal will be taken to the Supreme Court
and counsel will havo to be paid again. The
effect Of this proceeding will be to extor1
extra fees from both sides for the e1tri
appeal, and secure years additional delay
in reaching final hearing of the case. Tt
secure these two ends the disreputab1es Of
the legul profession from Chicago to Cairo
have been laboring with the Legislature, md
have succeeded.
The TRIBUNE has repeatedly called atten-
ton to the scandalous action on this bill
since it has been before the Legislature, and
we have received letters from members Of
the Bar Indignantly denying that the Bar
desired any such Legislation, and denying
that the bill would have any such effect.
This, however, can no longer be pleaded.
the action of tho House on Friday last
unveiled the whole fraud, and COM
PEELED an honest expression Of the
purpose of the bill. Mr. WENTWORTH, of
this city, moved to amend the bill SO rs to
provide that except in those cnses where the
judgment Of the Appellate Court would be
final, MI appeals shall be taken, as now, to the
Supreme Court. This was the original prop
osition Of the Bar Association. That amend
ment brought the House. to vote on the
direct issue between the two schools of the
legal profession school which uses leg
islation to encourage litigation and to make
the employment of counsel compulsory, and
that school which disdains any such aids
to business,-and the House rejected the
Here, then, was vote by the House and
BY the Senate of Illinois establishing four
Courts Of Appeal, neither Court having any
more final authority over the appeals it hears
han has the Court appealed FROM Tho bill
s to encourage appeals, and to add from
5000 to 81 1000 to tho fees of counsel in eyery
;ase appealed from and taken 10 the Supreme
Court We have not the vote by yeas
md nays on this bill The people of !
his county would like to know how
heir twenty-eight Senators and Representa-
ives voted on this bill for the relief of the !
more lmpecunious members Of tho legal pro-
cssion- The report states that Messrs.
WENTWORTH and EAsroN voted for and sus-
ained the amendment, and that Mr. Suzn-
AN opposed diminishing upon compelling
ppeals to be taken to IN Appeal Court hav-
lg no power to render final decision. How
1e other members of the Cook County dele
alton, the lawyers and non-lawycrs, voted
n this question, will appear in due time
he bill, however, had votes outside of Cook
ounty,-how many of them by lawyers, We
, not know. But the people Of this State
i'll in due time inquire of the special friends
the farmers, and the Grangers, and the
on-lawyer population, how bill of this
audulent and scandalous nature was permit
d to pass The Legislature has just added
|irteen additional Judges to the list of Cir
ut Courts; it is intended to make these the
1dges Of these Courts Of Appeal. The ad-
tional cost to the State will perhaps be
20, 900 to $4,000 year, but to the litigants
will average $1,000 for counsel fees addi- I
'nal for every appeal that reaches the Su-
eme Court, and, instead Of expediting busi- I
ss, may add year to the present delay in
wing cases determined.
We are sure that tho reputable members Of :
$ Bar throughout the State will disclaim a
responsibility for this bill, and for any
''ialation to compel suitors to pay extra fees &
counsel; but We suppose that, unless the p
vernon, acting in the interests of the p
ople, shall veto this measure, there are Q
ough men in the Legislature to make it .. .
:. That, however, will not redeem the act :. :.
m the gross and scanda1ous character Of a,
motive which prompted its enactment. NJ
-----::-----'-::- Oa
Tf57tEf1 AHTFFY1 i