, 1880-09-19

| this county exceeds Co0,0o0, and therefore
under the act Of the Legislature there may
be an election held in November for four ad-
!, ditional Judges of the Superior Court OF this
county.
1t Is reported that the matter has been
fully considered by the Governor, and he has
determined, We understand, that so soon as
he shall receive certificate from the Census
Superintendent that the population Of Cook
County equals 100000 he will call the election
for four additional Judges in November. 1t
may be considered, therefore, as fixed fact
that such an election will take place in
November. .-.-..."
That there are objections to holding such
an election for four, or even for any number,
Of additional Judges is true, but when the
matter is carefully weighed the wisdom of
increasing the number Of Judges will have
to be conceded. The population Of this coun-
ty is immensely large; it exceeds that Of any
one Of dozen States that may be named. 1t
contains one of the largest cities Of the Union,
and this city is not only both a manufactur-
ing and CONNIE rcial city, but is also the
business centre Of a vast system Of railroads,
whose corporations alone furnish litigation
sufficient to occupy the full time OF at least
two Judges, perhaps more. Instead Of hay
ing litigation prompt and speedy as 1t should
be to promote the ends OF justice, the
crowded state of the dockets furnishes full
protection to those who resort to delays
to defeat Justice and use the machinery OF
the law to practice oppression. Under the
present law one Of the eight Judges Is as
signed to the Criminal Court for three
months. While this allotment secures the
successive attendance of all the Judges, the
fact remains that there is but one Judge to.
hold Criminal Court at time. 1t is per-
haps true, as stated, that no such inadequate
provision as one Judge to dispose of all the
criminal business Of a population Of &C., 900
people exists in any civilized land. It Is an
impossibility for one Judge to properly hear,
try, and dispose of the criminal business OF
such a great population, especially in grow
: ing city like Chicago, to which evil persons
naturally resort to practice their crimes.
There are now in ur Jail score or more
persons. under arrest or Indictment for MUIR
der, with some 800 or more persons under
arrest for the various crimes Of violence and
for all the crimes Of the calendar. In the
execution of the criminal law de-
lays are the great means Of defeating
justice, and the most successful means OF
escaping conviction and punishment The
fact that there is but one Criminal Court to
try criminal cases, which accumulate at the
rate Of 125 per month. relieves the criminal
class of any serious dread OF trial, or convic-
ton, or. punishment In this city. Continu-
ances from term to term are necessity on
the part Of the public prosecutor, and Grim
inals, becnnse of the want of time to try
them, can always obtain delays. In this way
criminals who ought to be tried promptly
on their Indictment often have the trials
postponed until the case becomes stale, the
witnesses scattered and Indifferent, the pros
ecutor changed, and the euo1mity Of the
offense blunted in the public mind by time,
and by the occurrence Of Inter and equally
Startling offenscs.
Persons accused of crime are, by the Bill Of
Rights, entitled to right and justice "prompt-
II and without delays; and this right apper-
tains equally to socinty. It is mockery of
all principles Of justice to keep man under
arrest on charge Of crime month after
month without trying him; if he cannot be
convicted, it is an abuse of justice to hold
him without trial and without dlscharging
him; If he be guilty, then it is equally an
abuse OF justice not to try him and punish
him. The jail Of this county has on an ave-
rage $50 and more prisoners who ought to bo
tried promptly, and convicted OF discharged
according to the facts and the law, when in
fact these men are there notoriously practic-
ing the laws delay as the most certain way Of !
obtaining adischargo.