The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-17
tho Dome

To abolish or not to abolish the crimi-
nal courts and substitute Superior courts
for them is question that is giving the
Legislature trouble. The Democratic
caucus last week made it clear that
this Legislature will not increase the
number of judges, and so the problem is
how to make the present salaries meet
the needs There is a strong sentiment
to abolish the two criminal courts and
make two new Superior court districts.
As to the Western district, the Ashe-
vile bar asks to have it abolished. 4
private letter received yesterday from a
prominent member of the Asheville bar
contained the following expressions:
Il have just read your editorial in to-
days News and Observer regarding the
retention of the criminal courts. (The
News and Observer did not advocate re-
tanning the criminal courts, but suggest
ed that no additional judges ought to be
created. This is as far as We went
Editor) / am sure you do not under
stand the situation of not only the BAR
but 95 per cent of the people of This
county who are bitterly opposed TO the
retention of the Western crmhlal circuit
and aid us in putting in its place Supe-
rior courts. The present criminal court
here is and has been the biggest farce
imaginable. The people and the bar have
neither respect for nor confidence in it,
since the recent decisions of the Su-
preme court, and there is universal de
mand for its death. There are many
appeals from it to the Superior court,
which block the work there, and owing
to the small number of terms of Supe-
rior court for this county. In addition
to this the Constitution requires all APP
peals from justices of the peace to be
to the Superior court and this clogs
the Superior court also of the county.
No solicitor has ever prosecuted :hese
appeals and there they lie, numbering the
docket and thus practically making a
potter's field for criminals into which
they arr glad to get.
Now if you won't advocate three or
four new Superior court districts, won't
you advocate two new Superior court
districts to take the place of the crim'-
nal courts. This would entail no extra
expense to the State! Stevens is
all right as judge"
The Judiciary Committee is the sew
ing circle of the Senate. BY the cour-
tCsy of the profession every lawyer in
the Senate is member of the commit
tee. There are eighteen of them and
sometimes nearly all are present. The
ether committees meet around in hooks
and corners of the Senate chamber or
Supreme court library, but the Judiciary
Committee has room all to itself This
committee is the especial bette non of the
member who has fell designs on the
Code. The committee has on it some
of the best legal talent in the State and
what it does to the members's bill to
change some good old process that has
come down with the hallowing stamp
of Coke on it is not merely enough, but
is large surplus This, if the member
does not know at first, he speedily
learns. 1t is a bow-stringing institution
that the Sultan might be proud Of. and,
be it said, its vengeance seldom falls
amiss. THAT Judiciary Committee,
remarked lay member the other day,
simply disembowels bills" And the
lay member hit it off. All the same
the victim always gets a fair hearing,
and with plenty of counsel.
During the slippery days of last week
a Senator who was here years ago and is
valuable member of the present body,
grew reminiscent. Reminds me of the
other time | was here" he remarked
while the Judiciary Committee WAS get
ting together. Il started to the hotel
from the capitol hall, fell ON the icy side
walk and hurt my back. A member who
was with me insisted that wh';key was
the best cure for it. He took Inc into
every bar-room along the street as we
went down. BY the time | reached the
hotel / was in excellent spirits. Madame
was at the hotel and day or two be-
fore / had promised her to quit chewing
tobacco. When | opened the door and
stuck my head in / was wearing a
broad grin. John. cried Madame, you
have been chewing tobacco again. Yes,
yes, my dear. | have taken chew OF
tobacco, | replied as backed out; and
to this day she don't know any better.
Senator John N Wilson, of Guiford,
spent Sunday at home, and being asked
by the Greensboro Record how the Sen
ate was getting along with its work,
said
I'VE are moving right along. Not a
speech over three minutes in length has
been made on our side of the house since
we organized. The caucus agrees on a
line of work, bills are introduced, they
go to the proper committees, come back
to the Senate and are put through with
in a short time or killed, as the case
may be. Caucus rules everything. We
seldom are in session more than two
hours, the balance of the day being
/ devoted to committee work; and often
| committee meetings are held at night.
| We are keeping up, or rather clearing
up, as we go, so that we will not be
detained by unfinished business at the
/ close"
Representative Wizards bill to call
| an election in New Hanover county to
/ appropriate $4,000 for road construction
/ is timely, important and needed. The
only difficulty is raising the wind with
present heavy Indebtedness. OF course
bonds will be issued and pay day de-
ferred, but interest must be met. But
road building is in order among enlight-
ened people. and it is important that
there should be excellent roads leading
| ~ 4br ns+;ac FThov will pmpno +lvy bonnGt