Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-11-20
LANCASTER, PA, November 20. 1889
Down with the Sauircs.

It is not only I'm Lancaster that the
squire has become nuisance calling
for abatement by the state. In Pitts
burg three aldermen are under convic-
tlon for the practice Of gross official
abuses of the character so familiar TO all
who come In contact with these So
called administrators of justice, espe-
cially in cities, where the opportunities
for pruiitably abusing the Office of the
Justice of the peace are greatest. No
toriously the place is sought for its pro-
fit and quite rs notoriously the profit is
unlawfully and unrighteously swelled
by many unscrupulous squires, who
farm IL for oil II is worth. 1t Is par
put the machinery Of justice at the SER
vice Of their employing patrons, and
give the defendant no show at all of
Judgment This Is the mildcst form Of
injustice practiced and the additions to 1t
only cease with the exhausted power of
the arm of the commonwealth that is
given to these mercenaries to WELD.
No observant citizen will question that
the Office Of justice Of the peace, In towns
particularly, is no longer benefcent in
its general administration that its
power Is 30 often abused and its occu-
pant is 40 often vile, that 1t should be
abolished and better system of ad-
ministering justice be established. The
Pittsburg suggestion is that the num-
Der Of justices should be decreased !;
which would be step forward in the
~ - 1,ar ,
many Of these offices in all cities for the
legitimate business open to them and
the fewer the number the better chance
probably Of getting good men, and the
certainty at least of removing some Of
the temptation to unduly stimulate their
business. But a more radical change is
needed. Fees, the prolific source of OPP
preston, must he abolished and salaries
be substituted. And such care as can be
taken should be used to secure upright,
intelligent justices ; TO which end IL
seems to US that it would be well that
their selection and removal should be
confided to the county court. We
doubt whether it is well that judicial
officers, SO close down to the people,
should be dependent upon their suf-
frage for their place and be liable TO the
intimidation of those 10 whom they are
called upon to apply the penalties Of
the law.
The justices in the boroughs of the
state clearly should be abolished and
their powers be confided TO courts of
record, of which one would amply
suffice for the needs Of Lancaster. In the
country the justice, If fuscless, is generally
harmless but probably good system
would demand the division of every
judicial district into a number of subor.
dinate districts, Of certain population
each fitted out with a Justices court o'
record for the initial investigation %
criminal cases and the determination o
minor suits. 1t is right here at the eg,
Z of cases that the state will be particu
larly benefited by an intelligent, homes
and vigorous graphing with the matter
And who has not been disgusted will
the inefiicacy of our present mode o
starting upon inquiry into crime
with the bungling inquest of the coroner
for instance, who is another officer O
justice to be extinguished