Milford chronicle., 1893-01-13

NHAAHf
vide the means Of immediate retire
ment for those WHO, owing to the in
hrnities Of advanced age. shall be
no longerable to bear the burden of
arduous judicial labors. Although |
this measure was passed by the Sem
ate, yet it failed in the House be-
cause the gravity of the situation
was not then fully realized.
Since then, for more than year
past, the actual transaction Of judi
cial busines in each county has en-
tirely depended upon two only ofthe
four law judges of the state. The
inability Of either judge, by reason
of illness or other casual disability,
to attend his respective courts dur
ing this period; would have abso-
lutely suspended the administration
of Justice throughout the state, and
left its people without protection or
redress by either criminal or civil
proceedings. So great has been the
anxiety concerning this grave situa
tion, especially in New Castle county ,
that, more than six months ago, an
organized effort was made to induce
me to convene the General Assembly
in extraordinary session to make
suitable provisions to meet so SER
iOus an emergency.
After due reflection, however, it
was deemed most advisable not to
pursue this course, but to wait, if
possible your present meeting in reg
uIar biennial session. The urgent
duty, therefore, is now devolved up
on me of drawing your favorable at
tention to, and recommending your
earliest practicable action upon this
pressing subject. The exigency is
such that, if suitable provision to
meet it shall not have been made
during the present session, a special
session, with its attending expense
and other objections, may have to be
convened for that purpose.
The provision in that behalf which
seems to be viewed with general fa-
vor is that embodied in the bill intro
duced at the session of 1891, to
which I have referred. If similar
bill, providing an adequate retire
ment salary for the aged and honored
members Of the bench, who have
long devoted the best years and eff
forts of their lives to the able and
faithful administration OF justice Of
this state shall promptly be enacted
it is believed that all which at pres
ent is really needed will be accom-
plished. That such a measure will
generally be regarded rs eminently
lust now seems manifest. No other
course seems so well adapted to thc
, attainment of so desirable a result
and to the urgency of the existing
situation.
The only approximate alternative
would be a resort tor constitutions
amendment by thI IP'ofiU,,p of o,4,ptiye mode
,ra a view of some lotinge Of oul
present judicial system. But The
ratification of such an amendment
by the requisite three-fourths o
each branch of the next legislature
of which there can be no certainty
would require at least two years
whilst the present exigency and th'
public safety demand an immediate
remedy and will admit of no sucl
delay.
Moreover, the advocates of {
change of our judicial system difet
; widely-and probably irreeoncilabll
not only in resp eet TO the specif,
: alterations to be made but also in le
gard to the most efectual mode 0
securing them. Under these circum
stances the success of any constitu
tional amendment by the Legislative
mode in behalf of such change, doe
not appear to be encouraging; on tn
other hand, the prompt enactmen
: of the proposed retirement salarl
will afford both a sure and ali imme
! diate remedy. 1t will also rende
needless any resort to temporary eA
pedients in the line of hastily de
vised constitutional amendments an,
wisely leave advantageous alteration
| of our judiciary system together will
t the general subjects of constitutions
+ reforms, to the more thorough, com
: prehensive and deliberate considera
S ton of the convention hereafter t,
! be called for the purpose.
: TAXATION.
That much interest has been takel
by the citizens of this State in th
: subject is evidenced by the fact tina
they had a bill prepared and intro
duced in the House Of Represents
: tives during the last session of til
General Assembly, which provide,
for a change of the general basis Q
! taxation in the several counties c
! the State by including therein a
productive investments. In view G
the Importance of such a measure