The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-02-25
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Judiciary into Politics.

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lS PIERRE. s. ID. Feb. ee3.--A very sing.
Nlar bill has passed the senate and is
now pending In the house 1t is that
which provides for the election of cir.
emit and supreme judges at the general
election Of 1891. Its singularity CON
Isists in the fact that the constitution
provides that the term of both supreme
and circuit judges shall be four years
IRON the lst Of January, 1890, and shall
not be increased or diminished more
than six months. II is ;lswefl known
fact that the trainers OF the constitu-
ton Intended totakc this high Office
on, of politics and SO fixed ths election
" of years. But while finding this
plain prohibition the advocates of the
present bill have openly q,
tempted to suspend the constitu-
Etion md place the judiciary
againan the field rs Il trading stock
|. for the politicians. They say that they
I;rannot increase the term hut also that
theysal not compelled to call an cleo
.tion. n therefore, if no new Judges are
tsSAhSSOAk SttkG
must hold over BY neglecting to pro-
vide for an election this year and by
ordering one next they believe they
and do the very thing which the con-
stitution says they shall not. This
scheme is supported by all the lawyers
IN the senate and passed by Q suhstan-
tial. majority But most Of the attor-
news who are not personally interested
in the election are outspolken in their
denunciation of 1t as unwise and above
all as unconstitutional They point
out the undoubted fact that should this
bill prevail the terms of the
Judges would be heightened by
direct enactment and that therefore
the act would he. void. But say these
astute gentlemen, suppose this should
be SO decided. no election viii be pro-
yided for before that time and there
tore the Judges must hold over my
way, and il this law is thrown out the
term will be simply extended to 500
r. why Should these gentlemen be SO
lstrenunusin their desire to run counter
so the constitution Their only excuse
rs the desire to save the 90 cents per
voter which they say the special cleo
eioA VIII GOSt.g55 puG even CllS excuse,
iimsy and puerile as tits, is largely
knocked ont by the fact that elections
are held for county commissioners and
township officers this fall and the ex-
ira expense would moi be more than
half that named surely an insig ,ifi-
cant:sum. But the motive which actu-
ates some of the honorable members
has at last come to the
surface. They have arranged
to raise the salaries of the Judges $500
each The constitution provides that
no member of the legislature shall,
duringfhis term, be elected to any office
the salary OF which has been Increased
by the legislature of which he is a
member. Now it is whispered that
several of Che noble seigniors have
longing eyes fixed upon the ermine aud
as their legislative terms expire on jan
uarv I, 1905, they hope by postponing
the matter TO be in the line of success
SIGN It's a very pretty scheme, but
Titus Es Price, u leading attorney and
one of the most influential members OF
the house, has introduced a bill placing
the election this fall, Mr.. Price says
that there is undoubtealy a scheme at
the bottom of the senate. bill and that
he will insist strenuostsly on his
measure.