Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-02-15
Thurston County's Judge.

The matter Of a jndgeship for
Thurston county has been question
that has attracted considerable atten. /.
ton i'll Judicial circles ever since !
Judge Gordon's resignation to accept
place on the Supreme bench. The
prevailing disposition TO reduce public
expenses to the lowest possible figure
suggests the plan OF uniting this
county with contiguous counties in
district to be served 10y one Judge.
This privilege was conferred by the
constitution, which, while STIMULATING
that leach organized county OF the
State" should have a Superior Court,
provided that until otherwise directed
by the Legislature one Judge should
he elected for certain counties in
groups, among which was Judge for
the counties of Thurston, Chehalis,
Mason and Lewis. The Legislature,
however. has acted upon this granted
privilege and made Thurston county a
district by itself. The question pre-
sented was. could the Legislature now
change the condition and make
Thurston part of a grouped district?
Wednesday night this matter re-
ceived deep consideration at bar
meeting held in the Court house, at
which the joint committee on Judi
ciary Of the House and Senate, and
the committee on Constitutional Re-
vision were interested visitors and
participants. Judge Porter. President
of the Bar Association called the
meeting to order, and Senator Easter
day was made chairman of the meet
ing. Ex-Gov. Ferry was first called
for, and he responded in his usual
happy manner.
He said he was not q member of
the Thurston county bar, but as q
lawyer he had studied the question,
and while Governor had occasion to
investigate several constitutional ques-
tons, and was familiar with the ideas
of those who framed the constitution.
1t WAS evident to him that each
county, as speedily RS possible, should
constitute judicial district, having at
least one judge. When the legisla-
ture acted, and named q county as q
district, the subject then passed be-
yond legislative control.
Following Governor Ferry, Mr.. Skill.
man being called, responded by
saying that he endorsed what Gov.
Ferry had said, and in addition thereto
called attention TO the fact that the
various questions which our judiciary
was called upon to decide were differ
ent from those Of most of the States.
Matters OF maritime, shipping, insur-
rance, irrigation, mines and mining,
corporations. commerce, agriculture,
lumber, &C., arose under our laws, and
it was imperative that we have an
ample judiciary TO pass upon these
questions, laying broad the founda.
ton for the future welfare of the
State, and that it would be false econ
omy 70 curtail the judiciary in this
regard.
Thurston county being ono of the
oldest counties of the State, and the
capital at Olympia, it was for the in
tsrsst Of the whole State that our
county be continued - district with
. resident Judge. to the end that sll
questions of mandate, prohibition, in.
junction, habeas corpus, and the like,
might be instituted here, and thence
speedily heard in the Supreme court.
Following Mr.. Skillman. strong ar.
guments were made by Judge Allen.
Judge Root and Messrs. Ayers, Haight,
Linn, Porter and others.
The session lasted about three
hours, and at the conclusion Judge
Porter resumed the chair, and on mo.
ton of Mr.. Ekillman the bar of Thurs.
ton county voted . resolution of
thanks to the legislative committees
for their attendance, and the interest
they had manifested in the question.
Judge Wickersham of Tacoma, ex-
Mayor Ronald, and many other prom.
inent attorneys Of Seattle, Tacoma
and other places were interested spec
tators.