The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-11-14
A JUST JUDGE

pie They .rr supposed % ht men
who are qualified 10 make laws sDlfa
Bile for ire ever-changine conditions
of our ADVANCING civilization Grave
and learned as these men are supp0s.
ed 10 be- their wisdom aud erudifion
are often supervised and sometime
nullifec BY -ie power We confer upon
the governor In the plenary exercise
OF the vetc--a kind q. kingly scepter
but as powerful as This function Is
Il may be- overcome by sixty-six of the
one hundred members composine the
Legislature Joining forces against
him but a single person. clothed with
judicial authority. can set aside the
work OF the one hundred men. as was
recently done by judge Rhl don r.
Call Of the federal bench. in the mat
ter OF our coupon Law
Therefore. il Is Of the attn ost i'm
portance that we have for oar judges
good and true and wise and l0yal men
In the very twilight OF History 20
be called a Just judge" was the no
blest title one could wear it ought
TO become the title OF all those Who
wear the judicial ermlne
So much depends upon the decision
of a judge-his every word carries
SO much weight and significance. not
only in Affirming or multiplying our
statutory laws. but In the many more
personal and trying matters In the
regular process OF government that
come daily before him. he l. 20 sic
in judgment In causes which mean
the life or death of the individual; he
is largely the protector OF the widow
and the orphan: often a word from
him means the safeguarding or dissi-
patton OF fortunes. and the wretched'
ness or happiness OF those in anu
ent circumstances who are so tortu-
nate or unfortunate as TO come be-
fore him.
An unjust Judge. clothed almost
with unbridled power, Is a scourge
sometimes worse than malignant
and fatal epidemic
See what a terror JeHreys vas as
long as he disgraced the bench. Hel
was more perilous than a banditti.
In the state of Georgia Benjamin
II. Hin. a son OF the great Ben hih,
has recently been promoted by GOV
ernor Slaton from the circuit 70 the
supreme bench. and In bis accept
ance of this office ne writes a letter
that does him infinite credit.
Among other things he SAYS
TO a Judge with a conscience. the
ultimate decision respecting a mans
liberty. reputation and property Is at
tended With fearful anxiety The
possibility OF error Is a constant ana
harrassing menace 90 peace and con
tentment I do not mean IA any de-
gree TO minimize the responsibility
of a nudge OF a trial court, for ~ my
opinion the Office of Judge OF the su'
perior court is In some respects the
most important in the state. II, how
ever. the Judge OF that court errs
in his Judgment. he can confidently
and happily rely upon the supreme
court or the court OF appeals 20 cor
rect his error Not so with a Judge
of a court OF last resort. His error
Is remediless."
II is a fearful power 70 confer upon
any one and II is fortunate for the
people Of Georgia that it is conferred
upon one with such conscience as
is possessed by Judge Hin.
This is illustrated and made more
luminous by a quotation he makes
from the Yisigothic Code-the code
kof the barbarians OF the fourth cen
fury. giving their conception OF those
early times of what the ideal or
lust Judge" ought to be- II Is as fol
lows:
"He should be energetic and clear
of speech. certain IN opinion ready
lin weighing evidence. SO that what
ever proceeds from the course or the
law NAV at once I'm press All hearers
that II is characterized BY neither
doubt nor perplexity The Judge
should be quick of perception hrm
purpose. clear IN judgment, lenient N
the inaiction Of penalties. asslduous
lin the practice of mercy, expeditions
lin the yindication OF the innocent
element in his treatment OF criminals
careful of the rights OF strangers
gentle toward his country men re
should be no respectOr OF persons.
and should avoid al appearance OF
partially"
We wish that all men Who assume
the dignity and responsibilities Of the
judicial robes OF our day could be IN
spired with the same conceptions q
its sacredness as were the Nisigoths
OF the fourth century
Judge hin doubts that even Tn THIS
enlightened age II anything OF sub
stance could be added 10 what has
been so well formulated in this code
Of the barbarians. but he says II l