The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-06-25
Just and Unjust Judges.
The Need of Men Who Will
Consider the Interest of the
People and Tax Payers
More and Hold the Scales Of
Justice With an Even Hand
Apply the Golden Rule.

Justice With an Even Hand
Apply the Golden Rule.
Statesville Landmark.
Recalling that when Diogenes
searched Athens for an honest man
it is not recorded that he found one,
even with the aid OF his lanters, Mr..
10. W. Blacknall, writing to the Raj
eigh News and Observer from Kittrell,
thinks that Diogenes would have as
much difficulty in finding II just
Judge in North Carolina today as he
had in finding an honest man in
Athens. This may sound startling,
but Mr. Blaeknall gives the reasons
for the assertion and the reasons are
sound, no matter if the compl amt is
an old one-which is this: Judges
come to court when they get ready.
They may be on hand the first Mon
day ready to open court at the prop
er hour or they may not get there
until the afternoon or the next day.
On arrival they look after their own
comfort first, no matter il the people
VIII o left their farms and stores and
shops at early morn and came to
court because they were compelled to
come or suffer punishment, have
waited all day in discomfort. But
let a juror or witness be late, no mat
ter how reasonable the excuse, and
see what happens to him. If he
escapes a fine lie is publicly lect ured
and humiliated. This is rank injus-
tice, and this, asserts Mr. Blacknall,
means there are no just judges in
North Carolina. And who can an
swer the charge? Mr.. Blacknal is
right. The judges are unjust and
the worst of it is they know it and
kdon't care.
But Mr. Blacknall could have made
the case stronger. While some of
the judges may occasionally get to
court on time, all of them "beat
time" at one court or another before
the term is over. They'll adjourn a
day or two early to go home or GO
off on a frolic, and if they can get
the least bit of excuse they'll adjourn
the whole civil docket, no matter how
anxious litigants may be to try.
This, it is proper to say, is often the
fault OF the lawyers. Attorneys are
often too indolent to try cases or
prepare them, or for some reason
they don't want to try before that
particular judge; or it may be better
flor their client or their pocket to
have the case continued, when the
interest of the taxpayers and the
prompt and orderly administration
of the courts demand a speedy trial.
But the Judge wants to get out of
work and he is willing to accommo-
date the lawyers by adjourning.
At the last term OF Iredell court,
for instance, the Judge made his arri-
! val and departure suit the train
schedules, even If that necessitated
a late arrival and an early departure.
No cases were set for trial OH Tues
day of the second week, that being
election day This was taken as an
excuse to adjourn for three days in
stead of one, which was all that was
necessary-and then, after trying
about one case, occupying u day and
a half, court was adjourned for the
term. Out of twelve days set for the
trial OF causes, about seven and a
half were put in at work; and this is
not unusual.
/ Neither are solicitors blameless in
this matter Of time-beating. The first
few days of court they are mighty
zalons, but toward the end they be-
gin to continue cases so they can get
off home. Going home is the thing.
Finishing the docket aud seeing to it
that offenders are brought to Justice
can wait.
Judges and solicitors will saw
they are overworked, they are tired;
and they don't want to travel on
Sunday or all night to get to and
from court, etc, etc. Oh! they'll
have excuses all right. In fact We
| know some OF them-wfo moved
heaven and earth to get the job and
| it would just about kilI them TO turn
loose unless it was to take a better
iob-who talk and whine and CON-
plain about the hardsbips the office
imposes on them, as if they were
being mistreated by their fellow citi-
Lcits- W ltiic Obe cOUIrOfS al Impulse
to do violence to these complainers,
it might be suggested that there il
nothing more simple than to write a
resignation. There are Others wait
ing and ready for the jobs, who
would do the work as well if not bet
ter
'The judge" says Mr. Blacknall.
sis supposed to be "A man chosen for
his eminent fitness to hold the scale,
of Justice even between man and man
He has read tons of books to learn
what justice il. Verify. if the light
within Us he darkness, how great is
that darkness.
Truth my masters The unjust
judges in North Carolina may not
be like their brother of the Scriptures.
who neither feared God nor regarded
man. They may fear God, and they
do have some regard for man Il bout
election time, but the Golden Rule is
unknown to them.
The remedy for all ills is to pass
law" Let us pass law TO make
public servants do the work they are
elected to do.