Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-11-02
The Constitutional Amend.
lnent.

1t would be difficult to overestimate
the Importance of this measure as it
will be submitted to the people at the
coming election. The text of the
amendment has already been pub
lished in our columns. We now pro-
pese brief analysis of it, and shall
notice first
THE CAUSES WHICH DEMAND 1T.
Suitors have for long time justly
complained of the great delays in the
Supreme Court. They have not ac-
cused the Court of any neglect of duty,
but the difficulty has been that BUSH
ness accumulated so rapidly that the
Court could not give that careful at
tention that was demanded and keep
pace with the business. And it is a
well known fact that, as the interests
of our already great and rapidly grow
ing State are developed and new inter-
ests are introduced and property be-
comes more valuable and business
relations more complicated, litigation
will increase, so that there is no hope
of deliverance under the existing ar
engagements.
Courts are for the people, who are
entitled to speedy justice.
A mere increase IN the number of
the Judges would not help the matter,
as it will take longer time to harmon
ize the views of ten men than three.
One of three things must be done:
Either this accumulation must go on
at an increased rate, or business must
be rushed through the Court pell nell,
or the structure of the Court must be
changed so as to simplify it's operations
and thereby aid its work.
The amendment proposes the last
named solution.
HOW is 1T TO BE DONE?
1t proposes Court with criminal
and civil sides to it, and three Judges
each; the Courts sitting separately.
A glance will show that this will
double the business capacity Of the
Court, as each Court acts without in
reference with the other. Both class
es of cases can go forward at the same
time; the one not waiting for the other.
The work is furthermore aided by the
provision that the Judges of the two
branches of the Court are TO be elected
and especial reference to the
qualifications of the candidates in the
The practice in criminal courts is not
the same as in the civil, and no lawyer
is equally ready in both, the classes OF
talent required in the two cases being
widely different.
The amendment proposes that the
Court shall be composed of
the best judges of criminal law that
can be obtained, and that the Civil
Court shall be composed of Judges es-
versed in civil practice.
1t will be seen that the more skillful
and learned the Court is, the more rap |
idly will business progress and the
more thorough will be the investiga- |
ton; and that the Court, having its
attention confined to matters of one
general class, will master them the
more completely, and SO be the more
likely to promptly arrive at the truth |
and the right.
Let it be repeated here that the OBJ
ective point in the amendment is two
old: to expedite business and at the
same time secure thorough investiga-
ion.
In Court composed OF two branch
.s, disagreements may arise. There
are points that are common to both
codes, and it is possible that, on these
points, conflicting decisions might be
made by the different sides of the
Court.
HOW ARE THEY ADJUSTED?
The answer is, By Court in bdnc;
that is, all six of the Judges meet as
one Court and harmonic the decisions;
and decisions so arrived at shall be
highest law of the State.
The two branches of the Supreme
Court, together with the st. Louis
Court Of Appeals, will give us three
appellate courts in the State, which will
most likely be sufficient to keep the
Jurisprudence of the State prompt, thor
ough and just.
We, therefore, trust that every voter
who desires the speedy administration
of justice will see his way clear to vote
for the amendment. Something GER