Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-14
MULTIPLYING OF COURTS AND COURT
OFFICIALS.

multiplication of our courts, ~ the
extent to which they are losing their
old character for integrity. The expan-
zion of the judiciary, with the attendant
swelling of their attendants into an
army, is something quite out OF the
common. When we consider that we
have forty-four states and six territories
in the United States, thus resulting in
innumerable state and territorial courts,
and that added to these the United
States courts are increasing every year
in number and in their claims to juris-
diction, something very threatening is
ahead. To an Englishman, to Euro
peans in general, it must seem very
surprising that so many officials are
needed in this country to administer the
law. 1t is no exaggeration to say tnat
the sixty-fve million people of the
United States require at least ten times
as many judges as the whole British
empire, with its almost universal
dominion, stretching to all quarters of
the globe. The state OF California is
amply provided for in this liberal distri-
button of magnates OF the law. Not to
enter into fatiguing details, the
city and county OF San Francisco
are provided with twelve superior
Judges, while Los Angeles county fares
pretty we'll with, six. If anything like
the same proportion prevails all over
the country the total must be an as
founding one.
The expansion of our judicial system is
not 80 menacing as the tendency which
has lately developed to lower the dignity
of it's mem bers. This has by no means
been restricted TO California. In the
Empire state, especially in the Tweed
days, it ran to astonishing lengths.
Judges Barnard and Cardozo were prob
ably as bright and shining lights of
judicial jobbery and corruption as any
nation could produce. The readi-
ness with which they surrendered the
machinery of their courts to men like
Fisk and Gould excited the wonder of
those who had been accustomed to a re-
spectacle judiciary. The process OF in
junction was put to new and villainous
uees. The wrecking of the Erie railway
was something unparalleled in its in
fanny. The stockholders of this road
were robbed with remorselessness
that recalls Cicero's pictures of the
spoliations OF Catiline and his asso-
ciates.
We have developed nothing in Califor-
mia, 30 far, comparable to the Barnard
style of administering the law, but we
are making vigorous strides in that di-
'rection. There have been peculiar epi-
sodes in the city OF San Francisco
amongst some OF the judges that "boss"
rule have give US. The question OF We
racity between Judge Love and police
man Anthony, which occurred the other
day, is scarcely credible OF self-respect-
ing judiciary. The defeat of Judge Wal
lace's well-meant efforts to purify the
grand jury, by his associates of the bench,
will be remembered by most people. 1t
was rendered the more peculiar by the
action of the supreme court OF the state,
of which body Judge Wallace had been
the honored chief-justice. The incident
was one whose significance could not
we'll be misunderstood, and its force has
been often emphasized in the courts
during the past decade.
The people might witness with COM
parative indifference the multiplication
of our judicial tribunals; but when to
this is added their prostitution, the
prospect becomes indeed alarming. If
we shall soon be treated to judicial Of
fcer of some kind to every thousand or
so of our voters it behooyes us to raise
the standard of our courts, and to keep
it high.