American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-02-18
JUDICIAL BILL
WRONG, UNJUST
POWER COUNTY CITIZENS DO NOT
WANT TO BE ANNEXED TO THE
SIXTH DISTRICT, WITH CHAM.
BERS AT SALMON CITY.


riot could easily have been satrted
here Tuesday had Senator McCloud of
Gooding county been present with n
copy of hts bill TO annex Power county
to the Sixth judicial District, with the
chambers of the court at Salmon City.
When the Boise papers arrived and
among the new bills this one was dis
covered, arrangements were quickly
made to hold a meeting of the bar as
sociation, and public meeting of cit
izens In the evening. News of the
passage of the house bill granting an
additional Judge to this district how
ever, resulted IN the abandonment of
the public meeting but q petition was
hurriedly circulated and numerously
signed. Sentiment Is unanimous
against the McCloud bill, which is one
of the most inadequate, unjust and un-
called-fcr measures ever before the
legislature.
No reason can be assigned for It's In
PRODUCTION except upon the theory that
Senator McCloud is either wholly un-
informed or misinformed as to the con-
ditlpna prevailing, or that It's introduce
tion has been secured by parties In
terested In defeating the bill for an
additional Judge In the fifth district.
Geographically Power county be-
longs to the fifth district, and while,
OF course, In the re-arranging OF the
judicial districts Power county might
h. att ~, ..th late lut.
become district itself. yet the geo
graphical conditions are such that to
attach II to the sixth district would
entail an enormous expense upon tho
county and work immeasurable hard
ship upon litigants. Probably one
half the legal business Is transacted In
chambers. Criminals are petitIoning
to be allowed to plead guilty In cham
bers rather than wait until the regular
term OF court Many litigants are
seeking to secure orders. injunctions.
etc. which can be issued by the Judge
In chambers. Judge Cowen of the
sixth district resides at Salmon City.
! Suppose prisoner charged with
felony desires to enter plea OF guilty.
II would be necessary for the sheriff
to take him TO Pocatello aud from
there TO Armstead. Mont, where an
other change liz made, and then to
Salmon City, Idaho, distance OF ap-
proximately 400 niles, paking the
round trip 800 miles ara At a cost OF
approximately SIS. including fare and
hotel bills. II would take three days
to make the trip under the most fnv-
orable circumstances.
The same state Of afff RS applies TO
orders sought TO be obta' ed from the
Judge during the year. II simply
means that justice would be obstruct-
ed IN this county. There would be
more sense and reason IN a bill attach
ing Power county TO the district In
which Boise City II situated. The auth
or OF the bill may have the best OF In
tentions I'm It's introduction, but In
view OF the fact that he could have as-
certained this information before It's
introduction, his Ignorance OF the con-
dition should be no excuse and he
should withdraw the same. II the OBJ
ject OF the bin was TO relieve the con-
gestion IN the fifth district II would
utterly fail In that respect bsoaasc cne
Judge would still go 30 far behind in
trying TO keep up with the work I'm
the remaining four counties In the dis
trict that the looping off OF Power
county would have no appreciable eff
feet.