The advocate., 1890-10-15
THE JUDICIAL AMENDMENT.
. Editor OF THE ADVOCATE.

mont is 10 make the supreme court large
enough and strong enough 10 give prompt
and speedy determination Of appeals. II IL
shall be adopted Il must have the support OF
tho farmers and other business men who
look 10 The ADVOCATE, the Kansas Farmer,
the Nonoonformist and other kindred news
papers for advice. The amendment relates
TO courts and judges II may therefore,
without consideration and through preju-
dice, be showed aside as peculiarly lawyers
thing, and as a matter in which other people
have no interest. II this erroneous idea
shall prevail and the farmers and business
men OF the state shall consequently oppose
or neglect the amendment, II will be de-
foated az matter of course; but IL the
proposition shall be fairly considered, and
IL the important public and private interests
involved in IL shall be correctly understood,
IL will not fail, for IL will be supported by
every rejecting and unpreiudiced voter.
10 THE PROPOSED INCREASE or THE COURT
NEcEssARY2
The supreme court is now composed Of
tho same number as when IL was first estab-
lished, at the organization Of the state. The
court has now, and has had during the past
three years, the temporary assistance Of
three commissioners; but the permanent
court is still composed Of three Justices, as
IL commenced thirty years ago.
The number Of the trial courts OF the state,
from all OF which appeals are taken TO the
supreme court, have grown from FIVE TO
THIRTY SIX.
The number Of cases taken TO the supreme
court each year during the past ten years is
as follows: In 1880, 298 cases; in 1881, 327
cases; in 1882. 327 cases; in 1883, 1898 cases;
in 1884, 896 cases; in 1886, $40 cases; in 1886,
454 cases; in 1887, $50 cases; in 1883, 800
cases; in 1889, 738 cases. During the first
six months Of 1880 there were fled 430 cases,
indicating plainly that the whole number
Aled in 1890 will exceed 800. From these
figures IL will be seen that the business Of
this court in 1880 is nearly three times as
large as in 1880.
On the Goth day Of June, 1890, there we're
1851 cases pending and undetermined in the
supreme court. This is more than two
years work for the present court and COM
mission. An ordinary civil case filed to-day
could not possibly be reached for hearing in
less than two and half years from to-day.
Considering the growth Of the state in all
OF les departments and in all OF It's interests,
IL certainly is not strange that supreme
court of seven justices is now required to
dispose Of appellate business. The mere
statement Of the present condition of the
supreme court, and of its increasing bust
ness, is sufficient proof that the increased
court proposed by the amendment Is needed
unless there 10 some other and better way of
properly and promptly doing this work.
WHO ARE DAMAGED ny THIS DELAY2
Those who suffer the damage OF this long
delay in the court Of last resort are the hon
est litigants who are in court for the de-
cision Of an honest cause. This class Of
litigants are never found in the appellate
court unless they are compelled to go there
TO secure or protect their rights. They do
not go there for spunk, or for delay, or to
compel a weaker antagonist TO compromise
his claim! Even IL they we're 80 disposed,
attorneys fees and cost of litigation are
greater than they can afford for such pur-
pose. When they are in court they are there
TO collect money due them and which they
need, TO collect insurance on property lost
by hre, 10 defend the title TO their farm or
home, or TO compel the payment of dam
ages they have in some way sustained.
Their interests are always best served by a
speedy determination of tho controversy.