The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-12-09
GOV. FOWLE ON STATE REFORM
AND PROGRESS.

A late paper has this paragraph in
relation to Gov. Fowle:
"Gov. Fowle is at work on his mes
sage to the legislature. It will con-
talu a number of valuable suggestions.
His messages in 1889 were of great
value"
And we take occasion to add that
Gov. Fowle struck the right cord
when be resolved, two years ago, to
call attention to certain reforms needed
both in our laws and in the working
of our State institutions. People are
wonderfully aroused in the whole
subject of industrial and educational
development. And as closely con,
nected with their interests we call the
attention of Gov. FowIe and the legis
lature. elect to certain changes greatly
needed and which Gov. Fowle, for
one, is universally qualified to deal
with: Some of these changes and re-
forms, by the way, being ia the line
recommended by the Farmers Ali
ance in this State.
OF course, in a State newspaper
article, we can allude TO only the out
line of the subject referred to. The
details must be dealt with in another
way and place; and may, as to Il or
more of the charges preferred, ven
require a constitutional amendment.
But let us have the matter discussed
fully ana freely.
JUDICIAL REFORM.
First of all a change in our
judicial system, so as to make the ad-
ministration of justice more speedy
and certain, and less expensive to the
masses. The Alliance calls for this
and goes so far as to FORBID its mem
bers going to law except as a last
alternative. Hon. Harry Tracy in his
address showed that the cost of litiga
ton amounted to ten times the value
of the properly involved.
What we really need is a cheap ere
expeditions system of courts of refer
ence and accord, somewhat similar TO
the Recording Court in London and
the Exchange Committee in New
York, held by, say, three experienced
and skilled business men, sitting at
least once a month, acting without
jurors, AMI deciding at once all ques
tons of law and fact; each party hav-
Ing the option of enforcing the other,
in all civil issues and ordinary personal
claims, into their primary tribunal,
under this disadvantage of rejecting
its jurisdiction, and also allo owing
appeals directly to either the Superior
or Supreme Court, as the case might
require under rigid rules as to costs,
except in well-certi6ed pauper suits.
These tribunals would greatly lessen
and simplify the dockets of the upper
courts; and could, at the same time,
take more or less supervision over the
magistrates court, and thus keep jus
tees of the peace, city mayors, town
superintendents and others in check
a power very much and often needed.
In this connection the Superior
Court judges ought to be relieved
from rotating throughout the entire
Sta Q. This could easily be done by
arranging the twelve judicial districts
into three divisions and allowing the
twelve judges to rotate, at pleasure,
among themselves, and requiring 1t to
De done among those of each division.
This would secure all the ends of the
present law, and not force a Judge to
travel from Currituck to Cherokee
just to relieve him of the suspicion of
personal or local bias. The present
law is right in its aim, but absurd and
oppressive in its results.
Second, a thorough revision of our
laws touching titles to real estate, the