The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-12-17
THE REMODELED COURTS

1t is significant that the announce.
ment of the governors bench APP
pointments last week met with a re-
Spouse akin to the expression, "Thank
heaven, it was no worsew They
might, indeed, have been much worse.
It is fair to state that Governor Flet-
cher, having determined to make GER
tain changes, selected the new mater
ial without apparent regard to politi-
cal considerations. We do not under
stand 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
ernor Fletcher found them and as he
leaves them, we believe there are not
half a dozen lawyers, and not more
than an inconsiderable number of lay
men, 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, Their now exists discord In
place Of universal respect, ill-conceal-
ed resentment. The things that Flet-
cher 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 years experience to his credit
on the superior bench, gets a place on
the supreme bench. The other APP
piontee on this bench, the highest
court of the state, is young lawyer
named Healy Of Bennington, without
long or extended practice at the bar,
and with no judicial experience what
soever. Granted that he is the prom
ising character described, it is bold
step to vault him to a place on this
bench, untried and virtually unknown
as he is. Judge Dutton Of Hardwick
is good choice for the lower bench,
even though it gives one town two
judges and one county three of the
nine. We doubt if Judge Donoway of
Middlebury will add strength to the
superior bench. Comparing these
men-Healy, Dutton and Donoway-
with those supplanted-Munson, Has
elton and Fish--and who will claim
that the state has been benefited by
the change?
Then why the change? The gov
ernor ascribes it to his desire to in
troduce younger men in order to have
more vigorous and constructive SER
vice. He quotes approvingly the laws
Of other states by which judges are
automatically retired at seventy. III
Vermont had favored such a rule is it
not fair to suppose she would have
provided it by by law, as these ether
states have done? And it is manifest
that Governor Fletcher is neither sin
cere nor consistent in this matter,
since of the three men displaced only
Munson--is over seventy
fand he barely, while two Of the
judges reappointed are considerably
older than ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and
Miles
This is not the true reason why
these judges were dropped, and every
body knows ii. The real reason--at
least this is the general opinion--is
that these men, in their official course,
or in their private capacity have done
something or said something antag
GAL 9 -
onistic to Governor Fletcher and
this, IN his view, made them unfit for
reappointment. This has been the at
titude Of our present governor since
he took his seat over two years ago
that no person in whatever official sta
ion cou,d Be suffered % differ with
him, ard that any VINO did might OK
Dect the guillotine A peep into the
aeadbasl,et proves this. The onea who
survive are either the subservient, or
Inc discreet, or those happily out Of
reach. --Randolph Herald.