The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-14
AN IrrNERAxr JUDICIARY.

The purpose of the recently ratified cen
sttutiona amendment providing for the
election Of Superior Court judges by pop.
ular ballot Is to remove the bench as fan
as possible from political influences. II
is not unlikely that another step 10 the
same end viii be taken in the near future
in the adoption of an itinerant judiciary
system, in which the judges will travel
from circuit to circuit according 10 a pro-
gramme arranged by the Supreme Court
| This system has obtained in South Caro-
lima and other states for many years, and
! has given eminent satisfaction. Previous
10 each tour of the judges the Supreme
Judge of the First circuit to the Fourth
! circuit. the judge Of the Second circuit 10
| the Fifth circuit" and so on, In any or-
| der of numbers that the Supreme Court
may please so that rotation is kept up.
The advantages of the system are many,
| but two of the greater of them are, that
| the probabilities in favor Of more even
handed justice are increased, and that OPP
portunities for judges becoming in
volved in politics are minmized.
Respecting the first consideration,
it may be safely said that
in the majority of instances, no matter
how firm may be the intention Of the
judge 10 hold the scales with an even
hand, If he has resided in and presided
over one circuit for long time, making
many acquaintance and warm personal
friendships among the membership of tie
bar and the people, there will be some at
torneys whose opinions will have greater
weight with him than those of other at
torneys, even if the latter should be quite
as well backed by law and precedent as
the former. The judge may be absolute
ly insensible of any leaning on his part
towards his friends; still the leaning may
be there, and TO an extent sufficient to turn
the scales in the friends favor. The
judges intentions, of course, may be alb
solutely honorable, but even judges are
human. And the personal and kindly fee
ing may extend even to litigants. where
they have been friends and neigh
bors with the judge. The tinerant system
sends the judge upon a different circuit
at each tour until he has made the round
of the state. He is amidst new surround
ings at each sitting of court, and his rul-
ings are apt to be absolutely impartial.
The bench is often looked upon as the
stepping-stone to higher official honors-a
seat in Congress, perhaps. The man with
the ambition to go to Congress no doubt
finds il a very difficult matter, even though
he be upon the judicial bench, TO refrain
from making efforts to secure the friend
ship of the political leaders of his district
The wearer of the ermine should be so
hedged about with safeguards of law as
to preclude even the suspicion that he
political advancement. The honor of The
courts should be above reproach, which
could not be the case if judges were 10 in
dulge in log-rolling and favoritism in or
Ger to secure political preferment. It has
been suggested that law be passed max
ing a Superior Court judge Ineligible to any
other Office until after his retirement for
five years from the bench The itenerant
judicial system, however, would probably
be nearly, if not quite, as effective bar
to political activity on the bench, or rather
the using of the powers of the bench for
political purposes, as would the making of
judges Ineligible until after their retire
ment for five years.