Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1919-06-07
THE ELECTION OF JUDGES.

Albert NJ. Kales, who drafted the
Metropolitan court bjll pending in
the legislature, said at the hearing
before the house judiciary commit.
tee
There Is no such thing as an cleo.
ton OF judges by the people; those
voters who believe they elect judges
are those who have not been able to
undeceivc themselves of this fallacy.'
Attorney Kales. who Classics as
forward looking authority on court
organization. was considered as re-
freshingly frank in his statement OF
the purposes of unified court for
Chicago. He declared that under the
present system of elections the jud.
ges are appointed by the political
leader.
He went further and declared that
Il is impossible to divorce politics en-
tirely from the judicial system, and
said that under the Metropolitan
court bill, with judges appointed by
the chief justice, the political organi'
cation of one or the other parties
would dominate the selections. The
benefit. he asserted. would be that
the chief justice would have 20 work
in the open and assume a response
bility that would tend 70 the selection
of men Al 10 sit on the bench.
What happens under our present
SYSTEM" asked Mr.. Eales as he went
on 10 explain his point. The party
leader or leaders In the inner circle
dictate the nomination Of the Judges
and IL amounts % an appointment
That Is what happens, whether Il 4
in a convention or by the direct pri
mary system, and then follows tn
process OF going through the election
THE office OF chief justice OF tn
Metropolitan court would appeal q
political leaders. To illustrate N,
point | would say that in the days o
Charles S. Deneen as states attorney
il would attract him, because 1t vii
be a great legal political administra
tive office, and it should be. II woul
appeal to Acknowledgement Brundag
and 10 a man in the Thompson grou
of Republicans.
You might as we'll realize tina
you cannot separate politics from tn
judicial office for II cannot be done.
favor the appointive plan rather tina
the alternative one of electing tn
Judges and giving them tenure du
ing good behavior.
There is this advantage in the a.
pointive plan as provided in the ori
inal Metropolitan bill. The chit
justice Is going to have to sit u
there and when the political leadt
asks him TO name certain men Il
Judges the chief will reply that
has 10 assume the responsibility an
that he must have men of sufilciel
ability TO reflect credit upon Il
court"
That the Metropolitan court Is n
something revolutionary or radio
was set forth by Mr.. Kales when
declared that It seeks 10 provide
law what the Superior and Circu
court organizations now have on ?
Der by rules Of their courts. He sa
the Metropolitan court bill seeks
plan OF OTEdNlLeu administrator
stead Of individual action by the ju
ges, and that the movement start
more than a year ago, when the
torney-general Of England made son
pertinent comments upon the Coz
county court system, when he W
here as the guest of the Chicago Il
association. Other points made
Mr.. Kales We're:
That the bill gives the people
chance 10 retire a judge by yotll
Eyes" or mo" as to his retention
Office at specified periods after his a
pointment
That amendments have been pl
pared leaving masters in chancery, 4
court clerks and the sheriff and d
bailiff OF the Municipal court vi
their present duties undisturbe
Masters are given judicial powers
addition in the discretion Of the couI
Chief Justice Harry Olson OF Il
Municipal court, in discussing Il
measure, said that the question
be decided was whether 1t is best