The record-union., 1895-02-15
THE THIRD JUDGE.

The bill giving Sacramento County a
third Superior Judge has passed the SEN
ate. This is well, and the Senators are to
be commended for their action.
The RECoRD-UNIoN has ever been the
champion of true economy, and its inter-
ests are common with those of the people
of Sacramento County. It's record shows
that it is the friend of all that is best for the
people, and the unrelenting foe of ali that
is opposed to economic administration of
public affairs. 1t therefore occupies an
attitude that enables it to judge of this
measure calmly and with the interests of
taxpayers in full view.
The bill in question should pass and
become law; this we say without re-
serve and with full knowledge of all that
Is advanced against the bill. We assert,
and assert it defantly, after careful, de-
Hberate examination of the case, that the
facts show that third Superior Judge will
save money to the taxpayers, advance the
cause Of justice, conserve speedy settle
ment of litigation and the more rapid and
just disposition of criminal cases, because:
First-The two Superior Judges of this
county are overworked, and it is not pos
sible for them to dispatch the business of
the courts as rapidly as should be done.
Second-This delay costs the people
very much more annually than will the
cost Of establishing third department.
Each of these propositions is easily ca
pable of demonstration by the ordinary
means of establishing any fact suscepti-
bic of proof The interest of the lawyers,
viewed from the selfish standpoint, is
opposed to this third department, because
slowness in dispatch of business results
IN augmented fees for them; yet we find
the bar of Sacramento County standing
practically as unit for the bill, be-
cause these lawyers, most of them re-
sponsible and considerable taxpayers,
and having their property and other in
terests here, are convinced that it is
economic to provide a third Judge for
Sacramento County.
They occupy this position, also, because
the delays of justice and the cost to liti-
giants. witnesses and jurors due to de-
lays are by popular verdict laid at the
doors of lawyers, and they wish this re-
proach dissipated.
IL is the poorest possible policy, suicidal
Indeed, to crowd the duties of a magis-
trate. We cannot get good work where
there is oyerwork. We cannot have such
results in administration of Justice as the
law contemplates and the people rightly
demand if the mental powers of the
Judges are overtaxed.
The idea entertained by some that the
work of a court is comprised by the hours
the Judge sits in court convened, is as err
Toneous as any fanciful idea well could
be. The truth is that the least of the
1aDors OF conscientious Judge are upon
the bench. His toll is found in the work
In chambers, in his library and in the
wearisome and exhausting labor of ex-
animation of cases upon the varied man
uscripts he must overhaul, and the con-
sideration and Interpretation of the laws
and their application to the issues pre-
scented 10 him.
We assert without fear of successful
contradiction that the cost due to deten-
ton of witnesses and jurors because of
absolutely unavoidable unreadiness of
the court to hear and try, three times
over exceeds the cost of maintaining a
third department of the Superior Court.
These are facts, and it is therefore incum-
bent upon opponents of the measure to
Gontrovert them and show that the addi-
ditional Judge will entail greater cost.
1t is one thing to present the bald fig-
ures of salary cost and declare that this
means heavier burdens, and another and
very different thing to compar that cost
with the present expense due to the lack
of sufficient court machinery to meet the
ends for which our tribunals are estab-
lished.
The facts and figures have been repeat
eddy set forth in these columns; they are
verified by the statement of the distin-
guished senior Judge now occupying the