The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-10-07

snouSu MI in'iuious COMPARISON nou wv"
made. Why supreme Judge should be con-
sidered worth 500 per annum more to the
state than an appellate judge, especially when
the duties OF the appellate judge are of just
as grave nature aud his labors Off times
much more onerous, we fail to conceive.
Thirtysix hundred dollars per annum is not
too large Il salary by any means, neither
FOR al appellate nor supreme
judge. The salary must be adequate
in amount TO secure the services of respecia'
Bile ability, of ample learning and exclusive
and impartial service. No gentleman filling
so responsible a position as judge of court
of final resort, with the demands Of society
heavy upon him because of his exalted posi-
for sum that will not meet his wants A
cheap judiciary Is an expensive machine, and
i'll paid judges are governments
scandal. The proposed mode of Sc
selection of these judges we look
upon as ibfnit ly superior to the one
that obtains now. 1t eleyates the ermine
out of the drsggle cfpolitics, ard frees the
courts from anything like the color of po-
litical machines. But there might, in our
opinion, DO al imI royement made upon the
method suggested Why not let the first
courts, under this system, be elected in
the way proposed, and ever after.
W srds, all vacancies in either Of the courts
be filed by members of the court? 1t will
certainly be conceded that the members Of
these courts are better able 20 judge of the
ability and Of the legal and general learning
of the lawyers of the state, all of whom will
practice before them, than the governor or
the legislature could be. Such plan Of SO.
lection, II occurs to us, would secure nom
partisan judges, non political judges, nom
personally obligated judges. That portion
of the proposed article pertaining to district
judges makes no material changes from the
constitutional provisions now in force, but
county courts are entirely done away With,
and the constitution of 1916 is followed
closely in the matter Of probate judges ard
their jurisdiction. We think that all probate
Judges should be men who would completely
appreciate the respoi sbilily of the paternul
trust for the orphan and the widow, and for
greater efficiency should be practicing law
yers. The law rs to justices Of the peace,
tho nolghborhood court, the poor mans
court, is not materially altered. But We
believe we should like to 500 lawyerS excluded
from this court were this possible and prac-
ticable. Ca the whole, we take oscasion 10
say again, that this proposed plan of n
is u very good one, and presents
some very eommcndable points. When We
consider that the population of Texas is now
)nly tue rise Of 10000, and that our judi. /
'iarg system is totally irsdeeuatN to tho !
wants and necessities of the state, what must !
We suppose il will be in three or four years
rom now, when the population of the state
will be greatly increased by the efforts now
being made to that end! If with |
the prosperity Texss now has, her
courts cannot do the business that falls to
them, unless there is a change made to
greatly increase their efficiency and their
facilities for the adjudication of cases coming
before them, what will they amount to
when our prosperity has increased many fold
and business so much impro cd in al
respects that litigation will be doubled, or
nearly 50? With the magnificent future
that is downing upon her Texas must mako
for that future, SO that she will
b. up to tho times in all things. We have
merely glanced ina critical sense at the iu.
dietary system proposed in the suggested new
article to the constitution, and have thrown
out n few thoughts touching tho same, t in
a hypercritical spirit ut all, but to beget
thought on tho part Of others. This is
question that should bo thoroughly discussed
and tho HERALD tenders its columns tor
that purpose.