The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1889-08-22
WHY NOT TRY A CITY COURTs
An Earnest Plea and Reasons Given.

EDS. JOURNAL: "A recent con-
tributor to your valuable paper,
most appropriately styles himself
collector" In the common par
lance of the day, he is regular
''kicker,'' and opposed to all the
world except his dear self and son
John. He is doubtless prepared on
all occasions to enter his protest,
regardless of the merits of the
measure opposed. One of the worthy
Representatives Of this county in
troduced bill in the Legislature
and MIR Director, in such unblissful
ignorance of its nature, that he
does not know whether i: creates g.
mayors, county or city court, raises
howl, condemns the measure and
charges the Representative Of pros
tituting his own convictions to "do
the bidding of some one else" Why
such undue haste? Why not con-
slider the measure on its merits?
That method does not suit some peo-
pie, they prefer to object 1t has
always been so. Every great reform,
every wise measure, have had their
Collectors" In this instance, it
may be that Mr.. o. is one that un-
fortunate class whose name always
appear below the ''yersus" on the
court docket, and who would gladly
abolish all courts, civil and criminal.
What is city court? A court
with jurisdiction extending
throughout the county, equal to
that of the superior court, except
in few instances in which the
superior court has exclusive iuris-
diction. Do we need such a COURT
''The laws delay" is one of the
great evils of the day. Justice
should be speedily executed, both
to secure rights and deter wrong
doors. Our court procedure is la
mentally defective in this respect.
If note over justice court jurisdic-
ton natures after November 10th,
against party in this county, no
judgment can be had thereon until
the third Monday of November of
the succeeding year, notwithstand-
ing it is just and there is no de-
tense. II a plea is filed, no one
knows how long it may be post
poned. The money is due and why
should it not be paid or the creditor
have execution against his debtor
at an early day? Possibly this is the
very thing Collector objects to.
This particular bill provides quar-
terlv terms, and for the taking of
judgments on unconditional con-
tracts in writing at the first term,
when no pleas are filed. Why is it
that the tax payers of the county
feed number of suspected crimi-
nails from April to December of
each year? Why are they feeding
some twelve or fourteen now? Be-
cause there is no court to try them.
This is doubly wrong. 1t is wrong
to the tax payers and it is an in
justice to the prisoners. They are
entitled to speedy trial, and if
innocent, to acquittal; if guilty,they
ought to be convicted, punished and
liberated. AS rule, large per
cent. of these persons are charged
with misdemeanors, and could have
their cases disposed of at an early
day by city court.
Will it increase the taxes? asks
Mr.. o. 1t ought to diminish the
court expenses. The difference in
jailor's fees ought to pay the judges
salary twice over. That is the only
additional expense. Ten jurors will
not draw as much pay as forty-seven,
nor two or three bailiffs as much as
five or six. A case can be tried as
quickly before five jurors as twelve,
and the result likely be just as sat-
isfactory. City courts have been
tried in many counties of the state
with happy results. Let's give it a
fair trial, and if it does not prove
beneficial to the good people of the
county, it will be easy to have it
killed. If it created "a soft place"
for some one, it will be unusual.
Judges duties are onerous, fire.
uuantlv varv dica oraaobla odd +bo;,,