The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-06-06
in a very 6attering manner.

l
to thank you most sincerely. have
done my best in the interest of the
people, and il my poor efforts have
been appreciated, this will compen-
safe for the many shortcomings that
| know must exist The personnel of
the court is not to be considered; it
!, is the interest of the people.
/ My dear sir, | must dissent from
your conclusion when you say, sit is
not possible there would be any kick
on Lake being linked up" with the
{! counties you name. About this | do
not know, but / do believe if the peo-.
pie were allowed an opportunity to
speak they might not agree on the
necessity of making new circuit,
the creation of a lot, of new offices
and the rearranging of old matters.
i You recall that a famous politician
said, and most truthfully, too, "the
people be damned for it seems that
Is the disposition made Of them in
this instance; at least they have not
been consulted, so far as I can ascer-
tain. | venture the assertion that If
canvass is made you will not find
more than a doEen-nay, half dozen
people who have been consulted,
and believe those who are willing
and working for it have a direct per-
sonal benefit. Personally it woul6i
be benefit to me- would have that
much less work to do; but we cannot |
consider it from a personal stand |
point.
DO the circumstances, conditions
and emergencies require that a new
circuit be created? I will not take
up and discuss the number of other
courts are already in these counties
relieving the circuit court, but let lis
look just little at the condition and
what is proposed in the new circuit
it looks very much, to me, as il some
Of the politicians want to have a ME
I
and the people to furnish the sweets. +,
yes, and all the other things that go ,
nto the pie, and all that is necessary
or the people to do is to be allowed
o furnish the condiments, as the pol
ticians direct, to go into this pie.
We heard retrenchment yes. re.
renchment, cried from the housetons
III over the country when the cleo,
ION was coming on for the Iegisla-
ure, but they seem to have forgotten 4.
now. They seem to have gone the
mit-or will do it.
Take the four counties in the pro-
osed circuit, and let us consider that .
list minute. o fcourse you know
hat in any county where there is a
r1minal court of record the circuit
Ourt only tries capital cases; that is.
asses the penalty of which is death,
nd there are only two, murder and
ape. Where there is county court
s Jurisdiction in criminal cases ex-
ends to misdemeanors, except in
lose counties where they have both
riminaL court Of record and a county
ourt; and the civil jurisdiction of the
ounty court extends to cases where
lie demand or the value of the prop
'ty does not exceed $500. Haev you
ot now either criminal court of
'cord or a county, court in all of
.ese counties in the proposed circuit
Ecept Lake? have not stopped to
ok, it up, but l believe you have.
How many cases punishable with
cath do you have in the largest of
lie proposed counties, Orange, in a
ear. Will it average three, or four?
ay four; all right. Then you must
ave circuit judge and a state at
'rney, so far as that county is con-
srned, for those four cases, a year.
Tell, what per cent of your civil
Isiness is done in the county courts?
Ist off hand I would say from so to
per cent. My God, would not a
'or circuit judge be worked to death
such circuit?
How about the state attorney? A
e for him, too. We all know that
good state attorney makes about
ouble as much as his salary. in adj
tion to his salary, in the practice
law The judge cannot practice
is even doubetd if he can attend
} his own case. Ny dear Mr. Bell,
poor circuit judge in a circuit like
lie one proposed would be worked
Imost as hard as our poor supreme
1urt judges; and you know they are
q nunr.runrlrnd fha8 thorr ara rnrr-