The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1905-02-03
rE1EeHoME 100
A BRANCH COURT.

to confer with our Representative
regarding the establishment of
branch court at Obion found a bill
to that effect pending in bott
House and Senate almost upon on
the eve Of passage. The commit
tee was made up with Mayor John
/ Walker, Hon. Seid Waddell,
DIR. +. NJ. McRee, DR.. w. NJ.
Turner and d. P. Caldwell. Judge
Swiggart joined them later. Their
purpose was to investigate the
measure and defend the interests
of the people in this end of the
county which may have been over
looked in the attempt to rush the
bill through. This committee had
only a few hours in which to reach
Nashville, our Representative hav-
ing telegraphed the fact that the
bill was to be brought up for final
passage on the next day. So it
seems that there was no one pres
ent before that time to look after
the interests of the people here,
and hence if anything was done it
must be done quickly. With these
things in view the committee lost
no time in the attempt to recoup
whatever grounds had been lost.
This committee did not hold
to the opinion that this end
of the county had no rights
nor claims which ought to be
respected, while they did not
question the rights of any other
section 10 seeking local legislation.
Looking at the matter in this light
they SCI to work and after several
tedious sessions with the Legisla-
live committees and Representa-
tives finally secured the only fair
and equitable way of settling these
difficulties-the submission of the
bill to legal qualified voters of the
county for ratification or rejection,
the election to be held on Satur
day, the 25th day Of February,
1905, the white voters participat-
ing only. Upon report of the
committee meeting was held at
The courthouse Saturday with w.
H. Harpole as chairman and
Messrs. j. A. Baird and +. w.
Preston, secretaries, to devise plans
and organize for the campaign.
An address was made by Judge
Swiggart, also one by Judge w.
J. Caldwell. The tenor of these
vas that the principle Of establish
ng branch courts was iniudicious
md impractical, but waving that
POINT, the equity of the claim made
~ few people in remote por-
ion Of the county did not justify
he burden of extra taxation which .
would thereby be imposed upon
II the people or taxpayers in the
ounty. Mr.. Swiggart made the |
tatement that the extra expense ;
# holding a branch court at Obion
would be about fifteen hundred
dollars a year, and Judge Caldwell
the statement by quot
ng the fact that the branch court ,
n Gibson County cost about tif-
cen hundred more than the courts
when consolidated at Trenton.
Judge Swiggart made several
'oints about the expense of con |
eying prisoners back. and forth, {
yards fer same, the expense of !
enting or building a courtroom
no provisions having been made
or these in the bill), extra clerks,
Ulcers, etc. The meeting was ,
areely attended, the court room !
icing filled with people from town
nd country. Before adjournment
committee was appointed which
act again Monday afternoon,
Iecting II. Dietzel as chairman
nd w. Ii. Harpole secretary.
The facts in the case are, rs far
s we are able to determine, that
ONE Of Obion's citizens want a
ranch court. That they want it
or business reasons as we'll as any
'ther is hardly worth contradict
ng. There are few people in
hat end Of the county who have
ONE very cogent reasons for ask
NO the administration of Justice at