The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-09-08
Saturday Euening Letter
BY Justice ]. E. Robinson

We are looking for the return OF
our Chief Justice from session OF
the American Bar association at New
York. TWAS well for him-to be there
as that great body of wise lawyers
passed resolution charging all the
judges to cease writing those long
decisions against which We have 50
often argued and protested. lndeei
they commended to the Judges the
principles OF judicial reform advocai-
ed in these letters. A prophet is not
without honor save in his own cOun-
try. hope we have seen the last or
the long.winded decisions go or 40
pages) imposing needless burdens up
on the suitors and tax payers.
We still have hope that from now
on during the present year each Judge
of our court will take some pride in
devoting all his time to his duties at
the capitol so that by Christmas We
may be right up with the work. Dur
ing the past five weeks we have made
little progress. We have not had a
quorum of the judges We have still
on hand awaiting decision some %
cases that were argued and submitted
and should have been decided months
ago: OF course that speaks i'll for the
public service. We must confess to
the people, do penance and pledge our
vows to the future There can be no
civic reform without greater efficiency
in the public service. And 1t seems
vain. to hope for greater efficiency
until the people and the press demand
it and make the demand manifest ana
emphatic. s., - -,
General Townley and his press
have the means of making the de-
mand for efficiency urgent and insist
ent and of pointing the finger OF pub
Lefty to all those, who fail in doing
their duty. Why don't they do It:
Do they hope to achieve civic reforms
by simply changing the public SER
wants and not doing thing to secure
efficiency in the service? Why
should any one vote for public con-
troll or ownership or any increase In
public service without a, fair showing
that public servants are as faithful
and efficient as private servants? We
must confess that in this state such a
showing has never been made.
| In bismarck the Ford Paving Com
.pany is showing an example OF won
drous efficiency Their powerful ma
chinery is kept in good condition and
lis works to perfection. Every man is
IN time to a minute and responds 10
his task. There is no Sinking. OF
course there is proper and skillful
supervision. ! wish the same were
true of every public service. Then
would every Judge be on time to a
minute and they would all work to-
gether faithfully, courteously and har'
moniously with the regard and esteem
for one another. They would easilv
| keep up with their work, do 1t well
and set an example to the courts OF
other states ,:,.y.a -. .a-.
No man lighteth candle and put.
teth it under bushel The command
is To- let your light shine before men
!. He6se we call on our good governor
and, ION alllpublic servants to let their
light shine and to show faithful and
efficient service We do not forget
the Honorable Railroad Commjssion-
ers. They receive a good salary,
/ $1,000 year and expenses. Do they
show efficiency in any way similar to
the railroad commissioners of Wis
cOnsin and Minnesota? Why Is 1t
that in this state the railroad passen'
ger rate is two and One-half cents a
! mile while in Minnesota, Wisconsin
and other states the rate is two cents
Why is it that the rate from Fargo to
St. Paul is 90 cents more than from
Moorhead to St. Paul? Why pay 80
cents for half a mile the distance
from Fargo to MOorhead? 1t Is such
petty meannesses that makes 1t difficult
for railroad companies to get justice
in court. So far as we know the rail
road commissioners of this state have
never shown any efficiency except in
drawing their salary. 1t may be that
they put their light under bushel.
The last legislature made for the
! travelling expenses of railroad COM
missioners an appropriation of $1,000
with an emergency clause declaring 1t
necessary for the public peace, health
and safety. And so an appropriation
OF SIS was made for expenses on a
bust of Abraham LINCOLN and it was
declared to be necessary for the pub.
lie peace, health and safety. Strange
that it is not beneath the dignity of a
legislative body to make a statement
so ridiculous and obviously untrue.
OF course it does NOT n any way de-
feat referendum or serve any pur-
pose whatever. AZ :
I Under. a recent amendment to the
constitution an act Of the legislature
takes effect imm ediately and is not