The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-12-16
The Remodeled Courts.
{ randolph Herald and News.

(Randolph Herald and News)
1t is significant that the announce
ment OF the governor 9 bench appoint
ments last week met with response
akin to the expression, "'Thank heaven,
il was no worse!' They might, indeed,
have been much worse 1t is fair to
state that Governor Fletcher, having
determined to make certain changes
selected the new material without APP
parent regard to political considera
| tions. We do not understand that
| any of the appointees have been what
| might be called Fletcher men If
| there are any of that sort left. The
governor played no personal favorites.
| As TO the average standard of the
two courts, comparing them as Gov
| eTnor Fletcher found them and as he
leaves them, we believe there are
not more than half a dozen lawyers,
and not more than an inconsiderable
number OF laymen, in the state who
do not hold the opinion that the
courts have suffered materially at his
hands, not only in personnel, but in
morale. In place Of harmony, there
now exists diseord. In place of uni
versal respect, ill-concealed resent
ment The things that Fletcher
has done TO the courts in trying to
mold them TO his liking have left scars
that will take long to heal.
Concerning the changes made indi-
vidually, time will pass judgment, I'M
less they should be overturned before
it runs sufficiently. Justice Slack, with
a year 5 experience to his credit on the
superior bench, gets place on the
supreme bench. The other appOintee
| On This haOab oF /,
state, is a young lawyer named Healev
; of Bennington, without long or extend
n ed practice at the bar, and with no
! judicial experience whatsoever. Grant
: cd that he is the promising character
: described, it is bold step to vanlt him
= to Il place on this bench, untried and
. virtually unknown as he is. Judge
. button of Hardwick is a good choice
. for the lower bench, even though il
Q gives one town two judges and ono
= | county three of the nine. We doubt
If Judge Donoway of Middlebury viii
I add strength to the superior bench
= Comparing these men-Healey, Duttor
r. and Donoway-with those supplanted-
D. Manson, Haselton and Fish-and whC
will claim that the state has been bene
y flied by the change!
J. Then why the change? The governor
c ascribes it to his desire to introduc,
5 younger men in order to have more Wig
q orous and constructive service IL,
= quotes approvingly the laws of othe
n states by which judges are automatical
l. ly retired at seventy. If Vermont hat
, favored such n rule is it not fair t,
If suppose she would have provided it b,
e law, as these other states have done
IS And it is manifest that Governo
= Fletcher Is neither sincere nor consist
u ent in this matter, since of the thre
ii men displaced only one--Justiee Munso
;" is over sevent (and he barely), Will
y two of the judges reappointed are cor
It is over seventy (and he barely, Will
Il man and Miles
This rs NOT the true reason why thes
t. judges were dropped, and everybod
= knows 1t. The real reason-at leas
= this is the general opinion is tina
these men, in their official course o
in their private capacity, have don
something or said something antagoI
istic to Governor Fletcher-and this, i
his view, made them unfit for rear
pointment. This has been the attitud
OF our present governor since he too
his seat over two years ago-that n
person in whatever official station coul
be suffered to differ with him, and tina
any who did might expect the gull,
time. y peep into the headbasket prove
this. The ones who survive are the sui
serNient, or the discreet, or those han
PLY out of reach.