The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-10

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
ne eeeisions of Judge George 3. SIdener
" tHs FIRST District Police Court have set
INC country 10 talking about him.
Already the great journals from Ros-
loh 10 san Francisco, and from Chica-
go 10 New Orleans, have reviewed and
commented editerialiy on Judge sidener's
eonciuslons and commended his wisdom
ana VIZ. ms fame IS a turist with original
methods has even spread to the Old World.
Inc representative papers of England and
australia have been found to contain edito-
rails upholding the business of his adjust
ments.
The most remarkable feature Of the de-
cls1ohs which have caused the JUDGE TO be
80 talked about is their quaint simplicity
ana cirectness of Notwithstanding
neretofore almost unheard of in the rulings
OF MS predecessors for more years than the
average citizen can remember. 1t is this
very simplicity and directness, combined
with the logic upon which they are based,
tnat nave made his decisions a subject OF
wondering Where simple prob
lens have come before the Police Court for
adjudication the disputants have had re-
suits that pleased neither and only aggra-
vateo the case. or have received opinions
tuAt served no other purpose than to please
the ears OF the men who delivered them.
Legal Lore Clarified by
Introduction of Common Sense.
Witch fhe advent of Judge sidener into
the judicial arena all this has been
changed The atmosphere of the Police
COURT surcharged with sitting legal lore.
mas peen clarified by the introduction of
the disinfeotant OF common sense. Pom
oerous opinions have given way to simple
interpretation Of the common law. DecI-
6ions based on involved ordinances and COM
PICK legal deductions have been supplanted
py methods involving only the exercise of
sound Judgment and the usages applicable
70 ordinary business methods. In a word,
Judge Sidener, without protesting any pro-
found legal knowledge, has revolutionized
The Police Court by bringing to bear, on
the problems presented daily for his solu-
ton. those talents which are exercised with
good results everywhere else, apparently,
but in a police court.
What is the secret of Judge Sidener's
growing popularity as a Judge?
common sense" says the Judge him
sell. Just plain. ordinary, everyday COM
mon sense. Horse sense, some persons call
It. That is the basis of all the decisions
which seem to have called forth so much
comment throughout the country. Common
sense is gained through a wide experience
In the ordinary affairs of life; a thorough
knowledge Of human nature, which en-
ables one to understand the varying emo
tons and passions which control and ami.
mate individuals in various stations in life;
TO distinguish between the sincere and the
imposter, in whatever guise they appear.
Long association with the middle and
working classes has given me a keen in
sight into their character and charactaris-
tics. L know their loves. their hopes, their
fears, their ambitions, their hates. l know
their methods of accomplishing their de-
eires. In a word, I have studied the social
conditions of the masses to such an extent
that when any of their representatives
come before me on trivial charges my ju-
diciai duty is greatly simplihed.