El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-24
SHOULD FL PAso HAVE TO PAY:


Editor IL Paso Herald;
Recently there were tried in the Goth
district court two suits for damages
AGAINST the Southern Pacific company,
each for $4,000 The first resulted in
90 verdict for the defendant and i'm the
second the jury is reported to have
stood five to seven. Neither case orig
mated in Texas; one was from Arizona
aud the other FAR up in California. The
HIHTt uHturally arises. why We're they
brought and tried ia El pasoo and this
H1ert ls emphasized when 1t is learned
iIH1 some so or 20 similar suits for
damages have been brought and are
now pending in El Iaso courts. suits
originating outside our state. Why
Arizona and California are well
equipped with courts and are law a5id-
ing. law enforcing states. Why should
legal grievances arising in those states
seek adjudication elsewhere Why. as
900 the last case, should the plaintiff
travel 1900 miles TO El Paso to seek q
verdict2 lie had lived 81 years in Cali
fornia and had never been in FL Paso
until he came here few DAYS before be
took the witness stand. seeking a judg-
ment against the railroad. With courts
right at his door. there must be some
strange reason for the expenditure of
80 much time and money in this travel
OF over third across the continent FOR
justice.
We're these isolated cases they might
go unchalltnged. but with 90 or 70 sim
courts "A reason should be discovered
for this legal phenomenon. Surely il
cannot be because our city has gained
q reputation as an easy mark in such
cases. That would be to brand MS as
socialistic or anarchistic. in that we are
opposed TO capital. opposed to corpora
lions and ready 10 mulct them in dam
ages upon the least, or no, provocation.
A rapidly growing town, a broad gagged
and wide awake city like Ell PasO is not
made up OF citzens who think that
way.
But have we gained that easy justice
reputation The bringing OF this flood
Of suits from other states would make
81 appear so.
In this matter, however, the special
point is the rank injustice to two large
classes OF our citizens. namely. our
home litigants and our tax PAYERS II
our courts are 10 be clogged with such
an avalanche Of cases. not simply from
outside the limits Of our judicial dis
trict but from outside the state and
way off 1900 miles away then. there
remains but little chance for our homo
people TO secure speedy trial i'm their
courts OF law. Is il fair to our home
clients and their attorneys for the
wheels Of justice 20 be thus set with
these alien brakes
Yet bad as is this aspect Of the case. IL
is possibly not the worst. Our tax payers
are now supporting three district
courts and the cost is heavy. it hardly
seems right and proper for it to be
increased by this foreign litigation
Men are dragged from their homes and
business TO sit on juries endlessly and
the farmers and small shopkeepers
have TO 60 deeper into their pockets for
tax money that someone in California I
or Arizona may get damages from "A /
railroad, while the courthouse doors in I
those states remain wide open.
IL certainly appears that this is a !
matter the Bar association might earn
estly look into: the county and city Of !
fIcials charged with the collection and I
expenditure Of the tax money should /
call a halt here and the wide awake /
chamber or commerce should see to il 4
that Il Paso does not continue to re-
ceiye any such defamat tory advertise
meut as this court condition implies
ana indicates. Inquirer.