The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-03-04
ghelrmofrat- Star
TIE ELECTIVE JUDICIARY


The Jackson bureau correspoplen,
OF the P%icaynnc says that tile propos.
cd Noel amendments To the c,nstj,p.
tion, for an elective judiciary, have
been improperly submitted, and tho
courts will hold them void, or declare
that the several amendments sought.
to be submitted must be separated in
such Il way as To allow the people In
vote separately for or against tho
same.
Article 10, section 273, or the ron.
stitntiosh provides that "if mare than
one amendment shall be submitted NJ
one time, they Shall be submitted in
such a name and form that the peo.
pie may vote for or against each
amendment separately"
Judge J. A, p. Campbell, an ardent
supporter OF an elective judiciary
man twice elected circuit Judge be.
fore ignorance prevailed at the ballot
box, and twice appointed supreme
court Judge Of Mississippi, after Mis-.
sissippi threw OF the yoke Of radical.
ism, which position ne adorned for
eighteen years, and, above all, a great
lawyer, is authority for the above
statement. Judge Campbell was cali
ed on some days ago by the Picayune
correspondent, who believed that the
Noel proposition for an elective iudic-
larry contained more tliSn one amend
ment, and, hence, that it had been
improperly sunihitted, or, II capable
OF separation, the people should have
the right at the ballot box to vote
separately 90 Its several provisions.
Judge Campbell examined the reso-
lution winch passed both houses on
three several days, providing for an
elective Judiciary, WAS enrolled by the
secretary OF the Senatecand sent to
the secretary OF State, read article Is,
section 2i3, Of the State constitution,
above quoted, examined the statute
bearing upon this provision, and in
conversation with the p~icayune cor.
respondent said.
There being several amendments,
as shown by the resolution itself, they
must be 80 submitted that the people
can vote for ar against each one sepa-
rately, so that n Or two or three
may be carried or defeated. That Is
to say, the supreme judges are one
thing. circuit judges and chancellors
another, the manner OF nomination
and election another, aud the tenure
Of Office still another
This would give the people a right
to vote down the amendment pr0yid-
ing for the election Of supreme court
Judges, or circuit judges and chanccl-
Tors, or to defeat the mode and man
ner OF nomination and election. or the
tenure Of judges, or either OF them
Amendments to all Of these PROPOSE
tions contained in the Noel resolution,
AZ II passed both houses On three scr-
cral days, were voted down in both
houses as stated at the time in tho
Picayune.
Judge 0armpbeIl, who favors an
elective jndidary, has nothing but
dispraise for the Noel resolution.
which submits this question TO the
people Tor ratification or rejection.
This resolution has been contained
twice in the Picayunc, first, after its
introduction in the Senate (wh.re it
originatedl and, second, after it had
passed the third reading in that body
and was adopted on the FIRST reading
by the House. II has been character
lied In these dispatches as n mon
strosity. A number Of State papers
that favor an elective judiciary, have
Ireprobated Ii IN the sevcrest language.
1T was FIRST pointed out in the Plea
yune that 1t was ~viciously undem0-
cratic, in that it requires ~nlne-tenths
OF the. people Of Mississippi to vote
for nine circuit court judges In whose
nomination they are To- have NO par
!, ticipation. 1t requires the people OF
J slx OF the seven chanccry court dr.
tricts TO vote at the polls FOR six pan-
e~atatalloIs in whose nomi.
aeg la e been denied p~artici-
u ia iires two-thirds OF the
peop.e~s4aAsxksippi to vote for two
} supreme judges In whose nomination
, they are to have no part.
Here is what Judge Campbell, an
} unalterAble supporter and advocate Of
an elective judiciary, where the pco-
1 pie are allowed to nominate and elect
! judges, says OF the Noel amendments.
, 1.-THE proposed Noel amendment Is
. ~subverslon Of the principle Of local
self-g0vernment; 1t makes the people
In the Gulf c0unties-Harrisun, Han.
cock and Jackson-vote for q Judge
who Is serving the people IN the coun-
tics OF CoahoMa, Tunica aud DeSots,
on the Tennessee line. II the people
are capable Of self-government, those
directly interested should both nomi-
nate aud elect the officers 10 serve
them. Mississippi WAS the pioneer In
1882, among all the American states,
In providing for an elective Judiciary,