The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-19
The Need OF a New
Judicial District
From the Philadelphia Press.


" CONGRESSMAN CONNELL. of
u LaCkawanna, has before congress
IN bill to create a new Federal
w judicial district in Pennsylvania
to be called the Middle district
ana providing for circuit and district
court of the United States to be held
therein. 1t is substantially the same bill
that was presented by Attorney General
Mccormick when he was member of
congress from the Lycoming district. in
December, 1889, but which was not acted
upon. 1t is proposed to set off the coun-
ties of Lackawanna Wyoming. Bradford,
Tloga, Potter, Cameron, Clinton, Lycom-
ing, Centre, Union, Snyder, Mifflin, Jun
iata, Northumberland, Montour, Column
bia. Sullivan, Luzerne, Dauphin, Perry,
Huntingdon, Fulton, Franklin, Adams
York, Cumberland, Lebanon and Clear
field and constitute them the proposed
Middle district. The bill provides for the
appointment of judge, marshal and
district attorney and the selection of
clerks in the same manner as such Of
ticialS are now chosen in the Western
district, and sessions of the court are to
be held at Scranton, Williamsport and
Harrisburg. In each of these places
there is an exceedingly good government
building suitable for the purpose, and in
two of them court for the Western dis
trict is now held at intervals. There
would be, therefore, no material expense
on that account and the chief addi-
tional cost would be in the salaries of the
judge and other necessary officials which
would be so much increase in the Of
flee holding establishment of the govern
ment.
The counties of which it Is proposed
TO constitute the Middle district are now
part of the Western district the real
hoo aAf,Iil lrta Of Nx.,; ;,l,,
The fact that the judge for the Western
district now sits at Williamsport and
Scranton at certain times is a matter
OF very great convenience and saw
ing in mileage expenses. which would
be so much greater if all the business
had to be taken to Pittsburg. The sit
ting of the court at Harrisburg would
undoubtedly be an additional advantage.
and it would be regarded as essential
should the new district be created. But
as II is not now necessary for the busi-
ness in this vast territory extending
from Lackawanna on the east to Clear
field on the west, and from the northern
border of the state to the southern to
go to PittsburG the direct question to be
considered is whether there is more busi-
ness in the present Western district,
which 1t is proposed to divide. than can
be properly and promptly attended to
by the existing equipment In other
words, Whethef two districts and two
courts are needed where there is now
but one district and one court.
o
That seems to us to be the only aues-
tion involved. Mr. Mccormick nearly
ten years ago thought another district
was needed, and as a leading member
of the bar in Central Pennsylvania he
was III position to be well informed
While Mr., COnnell is not a lawyer; he
Is man of affairs in his part of the
state with extensive interests which
would naturally provide him with orig
mai and large information on the sub
Ject. He is not likely to have taken
TINS step without careful consideration
of the whole matter and he has doubt
less exhausted all sources of enlighten-
ment in order that he may be able to
JUSTIFY his measure and secure 1t favor
able consideration when the time comes
1t must be conceded that among the
counties to be included in the proposed
district are several of the largest in the
interior of the state They have not
only grown rapidly in the past ten or
hfteen years, but they are still grow
ing, and some of them marvelously If
there was sufficient need for the new
district in 1889 TO suggest its erection.
then there can be no doubt there is. in
creased reason for it now, If il is TO be
the means of rendering the people bet
ter facilities II would be trifing to con-
slider the, small additional cost IL would
entail, On the whole we are disposed
to agree that the division of the pres
ent Western district ought 10 be made
as designed In Mr.. Connell's measure