The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-31
Hire of Deputies for Guard Duty and Reduc-
 tion of Judges Features
 of Legislative Hearing
(Continued from Page Five)

(Continued from Page Ftve) one- fourth of which can possibly be reached during the term
 "Isn,t some of this due to incf-
 6cicpcx of the iudGcs." asked Rep
 rcscntative Benners, chairman of
 the committee.
 .some of the judges arc inef-
 6cient. not all of them, but the
 people are responsible for that. They gave us the judges" replied
 Mir. Beddow.
 This led up to discussion of the relative merits of procedure in the state and federal courts, several of the attoneys contending that under the federal practice cases were disposed or much more eXpeditously than unuer the practice in the state courts MT. Benners stated that the procedure in both courts, as set out in the law books. is the same, and that the judges in the state courts could speeu up trials If they would.
 "Why do not the best lawyers so on the bench?" was asked
 "Because they can make more money practicing law" replied MT, Beddow.
 DELAY IN TRIALS
  |, trials that would result from re- duct,on in the number of judges would work to the injury of 1itigants. There is a large floating population in Dir nineham and Jefferson county, he said, and delay in trials would mean that Tn many cases the witnesses would leave the county and be beyond the reach or the court when the case was nnal's called
 He advocated simplier pleadinss' more expedition in trying cases, but said in preparing the pleadings the law must be followed and under the nresent system of procedure this takes time.
 "JefersOn county pays 24.18 per
 cent of the nd volOrem taxes or
 the state and 33 per cent of the
 franchfsc taxes,v Mir. BOndurant
 said. "some say that the passage
 of a workmen's compensation net will decrease litigation, but it will
 not. In the states where such acts are fin effect there is just as much litigation as before" The present court system in Jene err son county saves the county s21.0On a year in Jail fees alone. Mir Bondurant said. and the two judges the leSis- lative joint judiciary committee pro poses to cbolish draw 5000 a year in salarief>
 He stated that the clerk of the court had infSrined him that more suits mad been filed from January to May l, this year, than during the entire year 1913 G. R. Harsh, referring to the asser' ton that some of the judges in Jener- son county are inefficient said vt | would have inefficient judges undei l the elective or appointive system; thai l efficient judges could not always b, elected or appointed and that because there are inefficient judges Jefferso. county should not be made to suffer. UNDULY EXCITED l ."The members of the bar seem to ht undu1y excited" remarked MT. Benner 5 ! 'sDo you know that only one office Wa! l ever abolished in Alab bama, and tha was the bureau of cotton statistics?" | Senator West broke in at this poin to say that at least one other ha' been abolished, that of commissions of immigration.
 l Judge w. F. Fort of the crimina court followed the bar association dele l Ration He was asked to state how, II | his opinion, increased efficiency in th' | courts could be obtained. 1 He called attention to the jury sys | tenn, which makes 1t impossible to tr, civil jury cases during one week II 1 each month. Under this law the nun | | in capital case Is limited and th' name of each one must be served on th' | defendant.
 | That being the case. he said the jur, | called for civil trials could not b. used, and as capital cases took up on i week in each month all civil jury trial | had to be abandoned for that week He suggested that impaneling of sep arate venires for the civil and the erin inal divisions which. in his opinios | would enable the civil divisions t' dispose of greater number of lay cases.
 Judge H. B. Abernethy of the muni cpal court stated that his division was self sustaining and turning con siderable sums into the county trea2 ury every month
 l He and Judge Thomas R. Lea. wh testified at the afternoon session. de clared that the number of judges il that court could be reduced withou impairing their efficiency.
 l ENGINEERS OFFICE
 Sanitary Engineer Lew Salter de clared that while the expenses of hi office might appear to be large could not be efficiently conducted a Hess expenditures.
 Asked, at the afternoon session. he absolutely needed the large numbe of deputies taht appear on his pay TO Sheriff Chris Hartsfeld replied that h did that the immense volume of busi ness handled through his office ke1 every one of them busy. Seven coui
 baliffs are appointed by. the judge
 Two of these serve papers for Sheri
 Hartsfield when not occupied wit
 court work. and for these services on
 of them is carried on the pay roll ! is25 month and the other at A.
 He stated that he should have two der Iuties, appointed by himself. to sers these papers and that they should rs iceive about $125 month each
 The monthly pay roll of the shei tiff's office a~~-erates ahnnt S5000.
 FUNDS OF SHERIFF
 A~uAlo~AA nhiIa fir Hart g0el