The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-03-26
.TATEsMAN PUBLISHING COMPANY
THE COMMISSION OF APPEALS.

THE COMMISSION VI ATIbhh7'
A bill to increase the number o
iadges on the commission OF appeals
from three to Fix was introduced early
in the session by Senator Simkins and
passed the senate unanimously. AS
originally prepared the bill did not
provide for the publication in the re-
ports of the opinions of the commits
sion when adopted by the Supreme
Court, and All amendment was offered
in the house to have them published,
as they have heretofore been. The
amendment was lost, ana a motion to
reconsider was entered upon the
journal. On Monday the motion to
reconsider was called up, the vote re-
considered, and the amendment
adopted by a vote OF 50 to 20, and the
bill passed to engagement.
This is the way the bill Now stands
in the House, and it will probably be
called up today and put upon its final
passage.
There are but few bills now before
the legislature in which the people at
large are more directly interested
than this bill to increase the working
force OF the commission of appeals.
There are already three judges whose
term OF Office does not expire and
whose work will necessarily 60 on,
but the force is too small to render
the supreme court that assistance
necessary TO enable it to keep up with
the accumulation of business, which
is increasing yearly. There are now
on the docket of the supreme court,
here at Austin, 7l3 undecided cases,
rs was STA ed by Mr.. Owsley a few
days ago while speaking on this sub
isct. Most OF these cases were filed in
1889 and 1890, but few cases filed in
1883 are still undisposed Of.
The judges Of the supreme coult
work early and late; their hours for
work ranging from s o'clock in the
morning until 10 o'clock at night,
but it is simply a matter of impossi-
bility for them, even with the valuable
assise.G ice rendered them by the
present three jud ges OF the commits
sion OF appeals, to transact the bust
ness presented to them. With an
increase OF three more judges on that
commission, to work in separate
sections as the bill provides, there is a
greater probability of the work being
speedily disposed of than there is at
present.
The vote on the bill il the house
ON Monday shows it will certainly pass
and become a law, but unless the
necessary two-third vote is obtained
che bill will not 20 into effect until
ninety days after adjournment, in
which event the three months term
% badly needed here at Austin will
be lost to the court.
The supreme court meets here week
after next, and if tho house will pass
this bill today, with the emergency
clause attached, by the necessary two
thirds vote, it will give the governor
time to make his appointments,so that
the newly appointed judges can quail
ify and be. in business when the su.
preme court meets here on the first
Monday in April. If they do not quail
ify until ninety days after adjourn
ment their first business will be at the
Tyler term in October, which would
necessitate the transferring Of large
number OF cases from here to Tyler
As the bill will undoubtedly become a
law, it will bo to the interests of liti-
giants, generally, to have it so passed
that its good effects and the benefits
derived from it can be felt and real
ised at once