The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-05
ELECT JUDGES
BY THE PEOPLE
Able Discussion of This Question in
Convention.
-
FOUR STRONG SPEECHES MADE
Messrs. Msresith and o'fiaherty hd-
vocste the Change aud Msss.s. Ingram
aad 1hom Oppose 1.-THE Hall
Question Settled.
FOUR STRONG SPEECHES MADE

The session Of the Constitutional Con-
rention yesterday afternoon was prolific
OF heavy debAte on the question OF eject
ing Judges ~ ihe people. Against TINS
p,opo,iron NlcSslS. 1hon and ingram
mace exceedingly able arguments, while
Messrs O Flaherty and Meredith adduced
MANY cogent and impressive reasons Tor
its adoption. No vote was reached. Mr..
Davis Republican member from FRANK
lin, had the II or for speech when the
convention adjourned
The matter OF JOINT use OF the hail by
The House of Delegates and the conven-
ton WAS settled. and the defeat OF an
amendment by Judge Green that the COM
tnittee continue its Investigations for an
other hail. indicates that there viii be
no excaus OF the convention from us
present very convenient and comfortable
quarters. The convention Will meet TINS
morning a 10 o'clock
REPORT on. USE OF HALL.
Soon after the convention met MT.
Thorn of the committee appointed TO con-
Ter With a committee of the Legislature,
reported that the joint committee hao
met, and it was the unanimous agreement
that the convention should have control
of the hall until two O'Clock p. NJ each
day. and such use of the same at night
as il might find necessary.
Judge Green said the arrangement Would
be found mutually, unsatisfactory and de-
sired to know If the committee had cor
sidcred the question of obtaining another
hall Mr. Thorn stated that several places
had been found and several eligible halls
in Richmond. Norfolk and Stanton had
been spoken OF.
After much discussion the report OF
the committee was adopted and the COM
nlittee discharged.
in COMMITTEE OF WHOLE.
The convention went into Committee
Of the Whole TO consider the report OIL
the Judiciary Committee. Mr.. flaheT-
ty resumed his speech III favor OF the
amendment to elect judges by the peo-
pie. He said the evident drift OF the
age was towards government by boards
and commissions instead of by the peo-
ple. He read an article from Mcclure
Magazine to show how Senator Plat, IN
New York. was able to run the whole
State government by having control OF
such boards aud commissions. as he had
created through the Legislature. he
declared that he wanted judges 10 be
elected by a constituency that did not
buy barter or trade on the selection OF
such All important officer.
Mr.. OFlaherty referred at length to
the log rolling methods of selecting Off
GERS by the Legislature and said the
fact that Virginia had incorruptible
Judges was largely due to the fact that
the legal profession in the State was
made up to a large degree of incorrupt-
BILE men.
JUDGE INGRAM REPLIES.
Judge Ingram spoke in opposition to
the amendment. He said as much as ile
admired Mr.. Withers. he could not con-
cede that he alone had been commits
stoned ito represent the people on the
floor OF this convention. lie considered
that the people We're present IN TINS
BODY of one hundred representatives, and
that the voice of this BODY was their
voice He declared that he should oppose
the election of judges by the people on
the same grounds that Mr.. Meredith had
opposed the election OF superintendent
of schools by the people. lie d1d not be-
lieve with the present electorate or Win
the electorate to come. that it would be
wise TO place the election of the highest
officers in this government in the hands
OF the populace.
MR.. MEREDITH FOLLOWS.
Mr. Meredith followed in a strong.
practical argument in favor of the
amendment He discussed the Importance
of the office o. judge OF he Supreme
Court. ana said that it was far above
that of the Governor and yet the people
We're led to believe that they lad a voice
in electing the chief officer Of their State
government.
The theory that the Judiciary was
dependent was utterly subyersive of the
Fundamental principles of democratic
Eocernment He was opposed to re-
moving judges from the people and sur
rounding them with clicucs and classes.
They were separated under the present
system from the masses Of the people,
but not from the classes.
Judge Harrison offered an amendment
providing that judges be elected by the
hut no EI.a-ll
the first election should have the power
to change the manner of their election.
MIR. THOATS SPEECH.
MIR Thorn began his argument in op-
position to the election OF judges by the
people by saving that he never expected
to live to see the day when a Nlrgirlan
would stand up and declare that the
State should have a dependent judiciary.
Mr. Meredith here arose and declared
that he had never advocated a depend
ent judiciary in the sense that MIR. Thorn
had represented him.
Mr. Thorn referred to Mr. Meredith's
illustration of the income tax decision
and said it could Only mean that they
would have decided otherwise If they
had beer elected by the people, and 1t
followed that their decision depended
upon the manner of their election. ana
if that did not mean a dependent Ju-
dietary he woutG axe 10 hiio" "hal IA
reason ii could mean.
lie said thcre was no safety for n mi
nority when the judi iarY had TO depend
,,~an the majority for their Gle ton He
cited a case in No folk where working
girl had won case that WAS brought
against large numter of wealthy de-
PENDANTS. If that judge had depended
upon his e'ection by the people, those
wea'thy defendants could have punished
Inn by defeating him for an election by
the poodle.
Mr. Meredith: "They might do it in
Norfolk. They could never do it in Rich
1nond''
KEEP EARS TO THE GROUND.
Mr.. Thorn said q popular political elec=
ton would result in judges being
tempted to keep their ears TO
the ground to see which would he
the most acceptable decision TO tie
whims of the hour. Men whose families
depended upon their holding these posi-
lions must be strong indeed not TO feel