The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1896-02-29
Senator George on an Elective Ju-
dietary.
United States Senate. /

GHttGu DNaANo I
Washington, ID. c., Feb, G, 1896.
Hon. w. s. McAllister:
received your telegram on the
subject of SO amending the constitn-
lion OF the state as TO make all Of
our judges and chanctllors elective
by the people.
have not tae time 10 write as ful-
ly as | would like TO do on this inter
esting subject. In The constitutional
convention ! voted for o proposition
Of that sort, and l have seen no rea-
son since Tor any regret about that
vote except IL did not have enough
other votes connected with IL TO lnRke
that proposition u part Of the con-
stltution.
Nearly all the states In the union,
as ] now recollect, elect. their judges
by the people. Mississippi was the
first state in The union, by her con-
stitution In 1882, to, bear in that di-
rection. II was then regarded as a
rash and dangerous experiment by
maIy conservative and good men,
yet the experiment has been so SUE
cassful as to convince most of the
people Of the union of the propriety
of electing judges by the people
Underthe elective system We had as
able, il not abler, Judges than under
any other.
But il is said that we did cot have
negro suffrage then, and that fact
makes it dangerous TO elect judges
by the people. My opinions are
well known as to the danger to the
state from negro suffrage. II is a
fact and we cannot get out of it.
We have IL as to governor, members
Of the log:slature-all state and
county officers. & And with 1t we may
manage to get along very well, and
will continue TO do go as long as the
good sense and conservative instincts
Of the whole people will lead them
TO settle their disputes among them
selves and not call on the negroes as
arbiters.
However this may be, II Is certain
that the people with the present SUI
frage are as c1-.r--,ent 70 s,ssses,s - ttfhc
judges as they are to select the gov
ernor who now appoints them.
hope those who oppose the am end
ment will think of that. Besides
think the people are more apt to elect
competent and faithful judges than
a governor or any other official. The
people will have no other motive to
guide them i1 their action than 10
get good judges. An officer author
Ized by the constitution TO appoint
is liable to be swayed by motives Of
personal friendship or gratitude for
political service either already rem
dered or expected.
would like TO pursue this inter-
esting subject further, but am 80
overwhelmed with pressure OF du-
ties here that / cannot.
ought, however, to add that / be-
lieve, with an amendment to elect
judges by the people there should be
associated provision that all circuit
judges and chanceIIors should hold
their offices for eight years' and the
supreme court judges for twelve
years. l regard such an enlarge
ment OF the term as very important.
IL Will make the people more careful
in selecting judges and il would csll
out the best class Of lawyers as can
didates for the position. Should
it be said IN answer to this that it
would be too long term for bad
or incompetent judge the remedy
will be found In section SO OF the
constitution, which provides for the
removal Of such.
Very truly, your friend,
j. n. GeorOe