The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-08
BAR ASSOCIATION
 DESIRES RELIEF Federal Dockets Are Very
 Much OvercroWded COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN VIII Appear Before Congress Commit tee Seeking Additional Judge or District for Alabama-Con-
 aressnnen Pledge Support.
COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN

At meeting or the dl'oiheso
 Jefferson County Bar association yes terday morning in the circuit court rooW' a. resolution was passed providing Tor tti9 appointment of committee Of fifteen to assist Congressman Oscar W. Underwood in getting a bill passed by Congress iook- ing to relief of the congested conoiuoh of the northern Alabama district ot 'he Tinted States court The mesting was presided over by Col. Sam Will John' ana was attended by a large number of az torneys.
 Colonel John stated last night that he would announce the appointment ot 'ne committee within the next few days.
 Congressman Underwood and Congress- man Sydney J. Bowie delivered address on the question of the proposed Judgesh'p and pledged themselves to aid in every way possible the passage of a measure to be recommended by the lawyers
 After considerable discussion and the introduction and the subsequent tabling of a number of amendments, the following resolution was adopted:
 Copy of Resolution.
 .eWhereas. It is the opinion of the bar of Jefferson county, in meeting assembled, that the overcrowded dockets of the fed eral courts in the northern and midule districts of Alabama, in which business has increased beyond the physical ability of any single judge to keep up with It, neeessitate immediate relief which can pe obtained only by an act of Congress creat- ing an additional judge;
 "Resoved further, That the chairman be. and he is, hereby directed to appoint a committee of fifteen whose duty It shall be to secure the enactment Of such legislation by Congress as they may be able to obtain, which will afford the most effective relief from the dockets of the United States courts in the northern dfs- trict of Alabama. Said committee shall have full power to do any and all thnSs necessary in the premises.
 "Resolved further, That the committee so appointed shall cooperate with tho committee of the State Bar association, the district judges of the state Of Ala bama, with local committees of the bar of other cities of the northern and miuu 's districts, with Alabama senators and rep resentatives in Congress, and If 1eeessarv shall go to Washington at the coming sos- sion of Congress in the interest of any re- lief obtainable.''
 After the meeting was called to order by | Colonel John, Frank Deedmeyer was , elected secretary and George Huddleston | was appointed to make roster of the at- torneys present.
 | Congressmen Underwood and Bowie were invited to address the meeting.
 Underwood's Talk.
 MT. Underwood took the floor and spoke for several minutes. reviewing the for mer efforts that had been made to obtain an additional federal judge for Alabania. | derwood, "can best obtain results by send ing delegation to Congress and con vincing them that conditions are suca that relief is absolutely imperative It is indeed difficult matter to secure the creation of a federal judgeship, which | once established must be perpetual charge to the government. It is my opn- 1 ion that the establishment of an asso- ciate judge to Judge Jones would be un- | wise
 "The wisest course, In my opinion, said MT. Underwood, would be for the bar to ask for a new district with sep- arate judge. Two judges to preside over one district might. in the future, lead to embarrassing results.
 Congressman Bowie was then intro. duced and pledged his support to a bil that the bar could unite upon. He said
 If 1t Is impossible to secure the crea- ton of a new district then I think steps should be taken to obtain an associate judgeship Congress is reluctant to estab fish new districts and unless the reasons presented are sufficiently weighty i would be difficult indeed to get a bill through Congress-"
 Attorney A. G. Smith was then recog nized by the chair and had the following to say in favor of a new district:
 Judge Jones actually has three-fourth. of the state. more than any man or earth.can attend to. I think it best to le the northern district stand as 1t Is. If VI | try to create the new district we would have the powerful opposition of Judg' Jones. We would have the opposition O Anniston and Huntsville, and of Tusca loosa Pickens and Greene counties, non' of which would obtain any relief. Let ui simply request the President to appoln a new judge for the northern district
 Other Attorneys' Views.
 John P. Tillman favored an additiona iudgeship, citing the fact that the whol' state needed relief. He favored the re districting of the entire state.
 Let this meeting said MT. Tillman appoint committee, whose duty it shal be to work for a measure that shal best serve to bring relief to Judge Jone' and relieve the congested condition of thu court
 Judge Howze introduced a substitute to the resolution of H. K. White, provid ing for the appointment of a commnte' of fifteen with full power to act. Th' resolution offered by MT. White recon mended the passage of bill establishing an additional federal judge with instruc tions to the committee to work to tha end.
 The Howze substitute was discussed 1 h1r Attnrnexs WeatherlY. Cahanlss