The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1885-04-30
A COURT CONTROVERSY.
OVER A CAMP COUNTY TRIBUNAL.
Facts, Figures, Reasons and Logical Propo-
sItions why Its Jurisdiction should
he Restored-On who Claims
TO Voice Public Opinion.

PITTsBURG, April 2i.-[Editor HER
AID. 1.-THE Plttsburg Gazette, in its
issue of April %, published a reply to
the correspondent of the Dallas HERALD
at this place on the subject OF restoring
the criminal jurisdiction OF the county
court of Camp county, and the action of
Hon. Sam ID. Stinson, state senator from
this district, IN defeating the measure
before the legislature. The Gazette has
been requested to publish an al ticle en-
braciDg the main points OF this article,
but has declined to do so, and we appeal
to the HERALD to place this matter in
its proper light before the people OF the
county.
The editor of the Gazette has pre-
sumed to speak for "the people" in this
matter, and has asserted that he believes
pwo-thirds of the county are against re-
storing the criminal jurisdiction OF the
county court, and his ipse diXit has gone
forth as law. We have called on him to
publish a list of the names of the most
prominent men who oppose it, those
who are out-spoken and against 10, not
those who may be luP ewerih or inditier-
ent, and he has declined to do so, al
though we stand ready with list to
meet and compare.
A iew good men have OPP
posed the county court, but
investigating the matter. Eyen the edi-
tor of the Gazette published that If we
had a county court, parties would APP.
peal from that to the district court and
make double expense TO the county by
two trials, whereas we now have only
one. How absurd the idea! a trial III
the county court would be just as much
a tinality as trial in the district court,
and appeals would only be to the cour 3
nf or bond 0nn0SH6'
the county court and urged this as an
objections, and while The editor OF the
Gazette has acknowledged privately he
was wrong, he has never taken the
pains TO enlighten his readers. A Jury
IN the county court need only cost $l2
day, while in the district court 1t costs
S4S. And under the amended constitu-
lion there need be only four terms Of the
county court, whereas, under the old
law there were eighteen. Personally,
do not favor county courts, especially
for small counties, but there are now on
the Camp county district court docket
about Bic cases. both criminal and civil,
and business is accommodating and the
interests of the county and of parties
litigant demand its restoration. The
people asked for it and tailed to get 1t.
Hon. Gideon Christian, representative
from this district, says while in Austin
he knew of but six men in the county,
and the editor of the Gazette was one
them. who opposed the restoration OF
the county court; that ii there were
others he never knew of their opposi-
ton by letter, petition or otherwise,
save the grand jury which opposed 1t,
and that he received three petitions,
embracing over 500 names, and there
are only about l., 100 voters in the county
favoring its restoration, besides numer
Gus letters.
The editor Of the Gazette has written
quite freely as to what he believes to be
the sentiment of the people Does he
presume to say he embodies the senti-
ment of "the people," or that he is "the
people?" He puts himself up as the
champion of the cause OF the people, and
though have made diligent inquiry, /
have been unable to fad out for whom
he speaks, unless small few OF whom
he Is chief. He has used his columns to
cry down the county court, but in
spirit OF fairness, never has thrown
open the gate for an Intelligent discus
sion OF the questions involved, that the
people might hear both sides.
Leaving out a few exceptions, speak
the intelligent voice OF the people OF the
county wnenI say Camp county needs q
county court for criminal business, to
unclog the dockets of the district court.
Every lawyer in the town favored its
restoration save the district attorney,
aud nobody censured him for his course,
and the only man who was active In
opposition to 1t, at least publicly 80, was
tie editor OF the Gazette. He threat
ened, here at home, to write up Senator
Stinson If he did not defeat the bill in.
the senate, but whether those threats
ever reached the senator, the writer
does not know, but results show he was
guided in his course in the matter by
the line marked out for him by the edi-
tor of the Gazette.
If the aforesaid editor can show me
that am wrong In this mstter, or that
do not represent the sentiment of q
large majority Of the best people of the
county, and OF those who besp know the
needs of the county, then I'll retire to
some lonely spot and try 10 dispense
myself, and never return until get my
full consent to live loyal TO the good peo-
Pile Of Camp. And II the editor OF the
Gazette will study the temper Of the
people little more closely, he may be
ableto remove the delusive thought that
he has been haunting his brain over this
county court matter NJ Il. M.
1. NJ 81 l-------------.s --l-----------
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