The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1900-05-03
ADVERTISEMENT
WHO SHALL BE JUDGE?
From the Canton Advance.

| All clUlZels are agreed, because
they can readily see, that right
eous legislation is of supreme i'm
portance to the peace, prosperity
and progress of a state. And the
taxpayers for this reason are not
slow to guard, as best they can,
this department of the states III
terest.
But the righteous administra-
ton of the law is of no less i'm
portance to the we'll being of the
state; and although it may not
have occurred to them, the tax
payers are, if anything, more large
ly interested and more directly In
terested here than in the legisla-
tive department.
Litigation is costly and the cost
falls not upon the litigants merely.
With the most competent court
officers, expediting matters as fast
as possible, litigation is costly,
and this cost falls upon the tax
payers.
This cost, which is absolutely
necessary to the maintenance of
good government, may be unnec-
essarily greatly increased, by all
incompetent man presiding as
judge. Upon him as upon no other
officer, rests the responsibility of
enormous costs in holding our
courts.
1t is not enough that he shall
be man OF good moral character;
it is not not enough that he shall
want to righteously administer the
law, he must be a man who has
the qualifications to DO what fair
and honorable Judge sees ought to
be done. If good moral charac-
ter, desire righteopsly to admin
istcr the law fitted q man for the
responsible office of Judge, then we
have in old Cherokee hundreds of
men who are eligible to the office.
These qualifications are necessary.
but there are other qualifications
absolutely necessary and must be
had, otherwise the interests of the
state suffer greatly and the toiling
sons of labor, the glory of this
commonwealth, must bear the
burden.
A judge MUST be man of large
technical knowledge, that is, learn
ing which belongs to his profession.
If he does not have this knowl-
edge the opposing council can and
will prolong discussion as to ques-
tions of law, while the court drags,
our farmers pay the bills. But
with judge who knows what to
do with a question or thing when
it is presented, business is expe-
dited and the taxpayers burden is
lightened..
We have all been annoyed nc
little at seeing an incompetent
judge, under these circumstances
hunting up the question presented
or depending on the interested
council for information, thus kill
ing time and augmenting the am
cunt Of tax. Gober's quickness
and accuracy in deciding questions
of law is known throughout the
state.
We all know that motions are
very frequently made for new
trials, and in many cases these
trials are granted at the expense
of the county by an incompetent
judge, simply to prevent his igno-
rance of law from being exposed
by the supreme court. And when
after repeated trial in the court
below 1t is finally taken to the SUI
preme court, it is sent back to be
retried-and at the cost of the
taxpayers. Gober stands at the
head of the list among the Judges,
not only Of this state, but of any
state, as an accurate, painstaking
! judge. No Judge has a better
record before the supreme court.
We all know too that in the
prosecution of criminals the state
cannot renew the trial, but the de-
PENDANT can. An erroneous decls-
ion which liberates a criminal is
final-good on the criminal but
unspeakably bad on the good men
and women who make the state
worth living in.
might mention other partlcu-
lars i'll which a good, competent
Judge is a blessing, while an in
competent one would be burden
and blight, but these are sufficient.
My fellow citizens and taxpayers
readily see that we have no more
valuable servant than the Judge of
our superior courts.
The responsibility is upon us
now to say who shall preside as
RI e. L