Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-02-13
From Representative Keith.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-, Feb. 2, 1919.
Dear Editor-I give you some of the
happenings in the Assembly during
the past week. There have been in
troduced in the House more than five
hundred bills up to this time, some of
them important, and others of little
or no Importance. One measure pro-
vides for repeating the law as it now
exists with reference to county courts,
doing away with the associate judges,
and providing for one county and pro-
bate judge who shall be the same per-
son, and hold Office for four years,
and provides that they cannot succeed
themselves. The county court under
this bill would be in session for the
transaction of business all the time,
except when the Judge was holding
probate court. 1t requires that he re-
sides at the county seat and his salary
is fixed at fifty cents for each voter
Of the county voting ut the preceding
election for supreme court judges. 1t
further provides that the probate fees
are to be collected and turned over
to the county treasurer, and is to take
effect in 1922. The amount now paid
the county judges, together with the
amount taken in as probate fees,
would almost pay the salary of the
/ judge in our county, and more than
| pay it in number of counties, but
this measure does not affect counties
having population of more than
/ forty thousand inhabitants. / intro
duced bill which believe is a very
important measure, not because 1
introduced it myself, but because it
effects directly a large number of
people. It would repeal the statutes
as it now is as to fees OF witnesses,
increasing their fees in courts of rec
ord from 81 90 day to $1,5O, and in
justice courts from 30 cents to $100 a
day. The most important provision
is with reference to witnesses in
criminal cases. 1t provides that in
the first instance there can only be
three witnesses subpoenaed on either
side in criminal cases, but safeguards
the interests of the state and defend
ant by providing that if justice de-
mands more witnesses, application
may be made by the prosecuting at
torney or defendant or his counsel to
the justice or the Judge, and if the
justice or judge be satisfied that more
witnesses will be necessary in order
that complete justice be done, then
the Witnesses applied for will be sub
poenaed.
My observation has been that in
nesrly every criminal case there are
witnesses subpoenaed who are never
used at all, at great expense not
only to the state or defendant, but
they receive no compensation what
ever for their attendance. This, in
my opinion, will put a stop to suoh
pernicious practice. 1t also provides
that all witnesses attending shall be
paid for their attendance, whether
they are witnesses for the state or de-
fendant.
i Under the law as it now exists, il
defendant is convicted, his witnesses
are not all paid, neither are state wit
nesses all paid. The great state of
Missouri, with all her wealth and
power, ,onght not require it's citizens to
give Of their time and means to assist
in enforcing its laws withoutremuner
alton. have actually known num-
bers Of people summoned as witnesses
and brought from their homes miles
away, who we're not able to buy o
nights lodging, kept at court for days
and never receive penny for 1t.
} shall introduce another important
, measure Monday, but will not discuss
it's provisions in this letter for want
Of space. Presidential suffrage fol
women will pass the house bya large
majority, but it is doubtful II it passes
) the senate. At one time was oppos.
r ed to woman suffrage, but shall vote
, for this measure.
|
a There is, however, some argument
!. against it, but there is sound argu'
4 ment for 1t. believe that when the