Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1913-01-31
siR. HorGH SUPPORTS
NV JrDlCIAL DlsrmCT

vital no the interests of Josephine
county which should be enacted by
the present legislature and among
these ls q bin TO create a new judicial
district ont of Josephine and Curry
counties A bin has been prepsfed
and sent and petitions are being cir-
culated among the citizens, asking
for its enactment The bin pro-
vides for the creation Of the Twelfth
Judicial district which shall COM
prise Josephine and Curry counties
that upon the act taking effect the
governor shall appoint a judge and
prosecuting attorney who shall serve
until the general election In 1914;
that the terms Of court shall be as
follows: In Josephine on the first
Monday of the mouth, except the
months of May and August. and in
Curry on the first Monday of May
and third Monday In September Of
each year; that a jury shall be drawn
in Josephine county only al such
terms as may be designated by the
judge, not less than two in each
year.
Curry and Josephine are the two
southwestern counties in the state
and the means Of road communicq-
tion between the two are now better
than that to any other county. THIS
judicial district as it now exists las
more business than one Judge o,-hl
TO be required to attend to or we'll
can, and if new district is created
II will keep one Judge busy to attend
to the business Of Josephine and
Curry counties. One objection heard
is, that it will increase taxation. It
will to the extent of ninety-siX dol
lar per annum for Josephine county.
It must be remembered that the state
pays the salaries of judges and pro-
scouting attorneys, and If a Judge
and prosecuting attorney be appoint
ed for this proposed new district
Josephine county's proportion Of in
crease toward the payment of their
salaries will amount to $4,000 per
annum
Another matter which should
have the attention of the members
of the legislature is an amendment
to the present fish law The closing
of Rogue River was due to the fea
on the part of a dozen fly fishermen
in Jackson county that Rogue river
was being depleted of its fish. With
out regard to the rights Of others,
the bill to close Rogue river was in
itiated and adopted by the people Of
the state at large As an illustrd-
tion of how the vote stood Clackamas
county gave an enormous majority
for it as did also Wallowa the north
eastern county Of the state In that
county the vote was almost unanim-
GUS in favor of the bill, and what the
good citizens of Wallowa county
could know concerning the condi-
tions in the three southwestern coun-
ties of the state, eight hundred miles
removed by rail, one can hardly inn
agine The bill, however, should be
or repealed, and II Jackson
county does not care to permit COM
mercial fishing within its territory
q bill should be enacted providing
for commercial fishing in Josephine
and Curry counties.
Another piece of legislation which
is needed in Josephine county in par
ticular is one giving cities and towns
the right TO condemn lands for the
purpose Of constructing railroads.
telephone and telegraph lines owned
or constructed by them, and it is al
together likely that Grants Pass will
need such legislation to enable it to
secure right-of-way over which to
construct its proposed road towards
the coast | think this and some
other legislation is vital to the in
terest of Josephine county and to the
end 1t may have the support which it
deserves, meeting will be held at
the opera house on Monday evening,
January -, 1913. at half past seven
O'Clock Other announcements of
this meeting will be made and hope
the house may be filled with the
representative people Of the city and
county when a discussion OF the mat
ters may be had
Yours very truly.
A. c, HOUGH.