The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1908-12-12

up the citations in the brief and write the opinion
When he presents his opinion to his colleagues
they attach their signatures and it is handed down
as the opinion of the court If it does not entirely
coincide with the decision reached in the first
sultation it can be assumed that the changes were
made as the result of careful study of the cita-
tlons, and that the writer of the opinion had
reason for making them.
In cases where there are dissenting opinions
given, usually the result of disagreement at the
first consultation of such Importance that each of
the judges will look into the case for himself, but
as shown by the reports of the supreme courts
these cases are rare, nearly all of the opinions be-
ing written by one man and approved by the
others principally as matter of FORM When an
opinion is written by one of the judges his name
is appended to it, and the report shows by whom
it is written and who is to be held responsible
therefore; but there is what is known as per
curiam" opinion, which gives no clue as to the
author and which carries no signatures. These
are the opinions which it is claimed are written by
law clerks. who are handed the briefs and cita-
tions, with general idea of the views of the court
and asked to look up the authorities quoted and
write the opinion.
The VACANCY in the supreme court caused by the
resignation of Judge Root has been filled by the
appointment of Judge Chadwick. This meets
with popular approval Judge Chadwick has just
been elected to the supreme bench, but in the
usual course of events would not take his seat for
several weeks. The large vote received by Judge
Chadwick in the recent election, aside from the
fact that Governor Mead is thoroughly acquainted
with his high character as citizen and fine fitness
for the exalted position to which he has been
called, would have justified the governor in max
ing his appointment.
Collector don't believe this bill is any good.
Democrat don't either. Why did you elect
him?
Collector-Pm not talking politics. l refer to
this bill have in my hand.
. Democrat-Oh! l thought you meant the one
on your coat. Isee you are wearing Taft button.
Declaring that the three Spokane hearings were
among the best, and one of them the very best
that it had held anywhere, the Roosevelt country
life commission finished its work in this territory
last week at Spokane, and left for Bozeman, Mont.
Two meeting were held in Spokane. Both were
largely attended, and at the conclusion of the
morning hearing Professor L. H. Bailey, chairman
of the commission declared that it was the best
meeting that had thus far been held.
What pleased Professor Bailey was the intense
interest displayed, the spontanety of the informa
ton given and the eargerness and sincerity of the
appeals for aid.
''When people speak out their thoughts with
such impulse that they forget to address the chair
they are pretty apt to speak their real feelings and
give us the truth. That is what happened yester-
day. and that is what happened today" said Pro-
fessor Bailey.
With the multitude of complaints, suggestions
and appeals that are heard by the commission,
varying in each district and state according to
local conditions, the task of separating what is to
be embodied in the report from what is to be re-
jected seems almost like an immpossble one. That
the commission is actually overwhelmed with the
work before it and feels that it can not go to the
bottom of conditions sufficiently to recommend
specific reforms was stated by Professor Bailey at
the conclusion of the hearing.
Having specifically investigated conditions in
40 states and everywhere hearing recommended
tions and suggestions that should be enacted into
law without delay, the commission probably will
not be able to go further in it's report than to
ommend the establishment of permanent bureau
of farm life to make more thorough study of the
questions discussed.
Most of the audience at both hearings was COM
posed of farmers, good many of whom came as
delegates from different districts, representing
local farmers cooperative unions, granges or in
some instances simply the general communities
which have no organizations. These delegates
came from the Big Bend, the Palouse, from Ste
vens county, from Idaho and Oregon. good per
cent of them spoke, while others merely filed with
the commission resolutions adopted by the organi-
cations they represented.