Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-22

] TO decision. Iney snail DC elected by
the qualified voters OF the state, at gem
eral election; shall receive adequate and
honorable salaries, not TO be Increased or
diminished during their continuance In
office, and shall hold their Office for
: term OF twelve years.
| Sec O. The court Of appeals shall have
appellate jurisdiction only co-extensive
with the limits OF the state In all criminal
cases OF whatever grade, unless otherwise
provided by law. The court OF appeals
shall SIT for the transaction OF business at
the seat Of government from the first
Monday In October TO the last Saturday
/ In June OF each year, unless the business
/ before IL be sooner disposed OF.
J Sec. T. The state shall be divided into
/ az many judicial districts as the eglsla-
! ture shall deem sufficient for the public
good. For each district there shall ba
elected by the legislature Judge, who
shall hold his Office for term OF eight
years. and shall receive an annual salary
/ of $4,000, which shall not be increased or
1 diminished during the term of his ser.
vice.
Secs The district court shall also have
appellate Jurisdiction OF all civil cas-,
Of which the county courts have original
or appellate jurisdiction.
While section of this article )es not
| provide directly for county courts, yet as
1t may be deemed advisable 10 retain 80
valuable an institution, the following
amendment Ia absolutely essential to a
practical working Of and an ,llclent
service In this court, and II this is not
done, then limit it exclusively to probate
business, or abolish II entirely.
Sec. Is There shall be established in
each county in this state a county court,
which shall be court OF record, aud
there shall DO elected by the qua flied
voters In each county judge, who shall
have been licensed attorney, and be well
Informed IN the law OF the state, and
shall hold his Office Tor term OF four
years, and shall have q yearly salary OF
not less than $1,000, to be provided by
law.
Now for short resume. ia the frsI
place, two fiaal courts Of appeals are here
provided for, the supreme court, exclu
slvely for civil business, and the court Of
appeals, exclusively for criminal business
Tue supreme court Is made to consist
OF Ave justices, To hold once for twelve
years, u change In the salary, and to sit
only ut the seat OF government, and these
same changes are made for the court Of
appeals, aud further 1t is TO have only
criminal appellate Jurisdiction.
Research shows that OF the whole there
are but eight state constitutions which
] fix the salary OF judges OF the higher
courts, leaving II to the legislatures OF
tho respective states. And the United
States constitution leaves this matter o.
! salary with congress. An examination o.
1 the constitutions Of the different state,
5 Will show, as regards tenure OF office IL
I the higher courts, hat three provide fol
, a life tenure, ono for twenty-one years
one for tifteen, one for fourteen, four
/ twelve, two for ten, three for nine, Nv,
. for eight, two for seven, nine for six, on,
for Ave and one for two
0 years, and three provide for tn,
0 retirement Of judges when seventy years
8 Of age Is reached. by the two highes
: courts meeting only at one place, W,
get rid of the great expense OF our clerks
and have but two. Then these court
: viii no longer be liable TO the charge O
0 being ''peripatetic courts" The amend
0 ment giving the district courts the ap
; pellate civil Jurisdiction will result Ia re
s lieving the supreme court Of a multitude o
0 small cases aud in the dispatch OF husl
D ness Then the tenure ~ changed ais,
+ the mode of election, for though no 90
"
the state NJ large OF judges OF highe
c courts, yet the thought OF tho country, II
consensus Of opinion, agrees tina
s Judges of inferior courts should az far q
Q possible he removed from local surround
I Jugs, or The influence sometimes arisluJ
/. from The locus In quo.
/ Section 10, IN regard to county courts
is here amended so as 10 increase III,
I salary and tenure, and IN addition, re
y quring the judge 20 be a lawyer, rhl
\ last requirement is beyond al question
Q necessary, and Is so patent that we ma
e dismiss u with the romark that the evI
Q resulting from the observance OF con
r uary policy IL always fresh Ia the mind
' Of the people
/ IL Is confidently expected that II thes
q or similar amendments are engrattod OF
4 the judiciary article OF the constitution /
|. would insure Justice Ia decision and ex
Q pcdte the public business
Sensible OF the fact that Texas has 81
e able and an honorable Judiciary, we ma,
q aid that, next 10 pure gospel IN an,
y country, Is pure Judiciary, withou
y which II must perish.
;. The executive and legislative depart
}. meuts OF government represent th
N people and reflect their changing
y phases, but the judiciary represent
70 justice, and IL represents law
g. the priceless value Of which Is best know
by reading the history OF the uuha9p
D. people cursed by those names OF iudicis
NJ niamy, which, Ia the history OF the pas
r. have always been anathema marsr At Il
IS In the solution OF this, just IS In the otht