Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1891-07-23
THE AMENDMENTS.

on the second Tuesday in August,
would occupy more space than is at
our disposal, but from day to-day
the BANNER will take up one of the
amendments and discuss its merits
or dement's according to our way
of thinking, and as the proposed
amendment to the Judiciary is in
our opinion the most important it
shall take the precedence:
THE JUDICIARY.
The amendment to the Judiciary
provides, in substance, that
the Legislature shall, as soon as
Practicable after its adoption
to divide the state into not
less than two nor more than three
supreme judicial districts, and
thereafter into such additional dis,
tricts as the increase of population
and business may require and estab,
lish court of civil officials in each
of said districts, which shall consist
of chief Justice and two associate
justices who shall haYe the qualif,
cation as herein prescribed for jus,
tees of the supreme courts. Said
Court of Civil Appeals shall have
appellate Jurisdiction co-extensIye
with the limits of their respective
districts, which shall extend to all
civil cases of which the District
Courts or County Courts have orr
ginal or appreciate jurisdiction,
under such restrictions and regula-
tons as may be prescribed by law.
Provided, that the decision OF said
courts shall be conclusive on all
questions of fact brought before
them to appeal or error. Each of
said Courts of Civils Appeals shall
hold its sessions at place in its
district to be designated by the
and at such time as may
be prescribed by law. Said justices
shall be elected by the qualified
voters of their respective districts,
at a general election, for term of
six years, and shall receive for their
services the sum of three thousand
five hundred dollars per annum
until otherwise provided by law.
Said courts shall have such other
jurisdiction, original and appellate,
as may be prescribed by law.
The amendment also provides for
the establishment of a central, or
supreme court, whose duty it shall
be to decide all questions upon
which the court of appeals may
disagree; this to be in session at
Austin nine months in the year.
The crowded condition of appeals
and its utter inability to reach
cases that remain on the docket
from term to term without hear
ing, at once shows the necessity, yea
urgent necessity, for the adoption
of this amendment. The inability
of the court as it now stands to
reach many cases, that deserves
prompt attention is a grea itncon,
venience to the public and encour-
ages litigation by parties who would
stay the hand of justice by appeals
to court which they know it will
take months and maybe years for
them to reach the case. The de-
mands of justice are deferred indef-
nately and the public suffer. This
should by all means
become a law. The growth of
litigation and the present inadequa-
cy of the Court of Appeals to
dispose of it, demands it, and it is
to be hoped that the people will
turn out and vote for it.
REGULATING ELECTIONS.
The Constitutional amendment
relating to the regulation of cleo
tons, provides that section 4 of
article 6, of the constitution shall
be amended so as to read that
in all elections by the people the
vote shall be by ballot, and the
legislature shall provide for the
numbering of tickets and:.make such
other regulations as may be neces-
sary to detect and punish fraud and
preserve the purity of the box; and
the legislature may provide by law
for the registration of all voters in
all cities containing a population of
ten thousand inhabitants or more"
This latter clause does not effect
any city in Washington county, and
while not much interest may be felt
in it locally, every one should feel
some interest il the purity of the
ballot box in neighbOring cities that
have reached a population of 10000. |
Brennan will ere long be one of the
cities to which it will apply. Any
measure that has for its aim and
purpose the purity of the ballot box
should have the hearty support of the
people, for though the elections in
the South are as fair as in other
States. she is continually being
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