The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-06-01

text for Mr.. Jennings argument, II
was explicitly stated that that
argument against the county court
was adopted purely on the ground
of expediency, in view of present
conditions. We still believe that it Is
inexpedient to hurry the county o.
Sumter into the adoption of a county
court until conditions, financial and
Industrial, become more nearly nor
NAL.
There are other and perhaps more
weighty reasons why the county court
should not now be established. Brief
" stated, as matter Of individual
belief, which, Of course. may be un-
sound and ill-advised. but which are
believed to be worthy of considera-
ton by the voters, the county court
should not now be established for the
following reasons:
/. The matter Of expense. The
advocates Of the court estimate that
the annual cost to the county will be
approximately $4,000, which will ne
cessitate not more than one-Till tax
levy for this purpose. One earnest
advocate of the court said to the
writer, what is one-mill anyhow
We think it is just that much more
than any Of us want to pay for some
thing that we are not convinced is
an absolute and immediate necessity
that we cannot get along without. II
is claimed that the county court Will
so materially reduce the expenses
of the circuit court by reducing the
length Of its terms that the county
cou!,t will not be an expense, but an
actual saving. This is pure suppo-
sition and remains to be proven. We
have no faith in the assertion that
the length Of the circuit court terms
will be curtailed-not in the next
several years, at any rate. Are the
people OF Sumter county ready to
assume the additional expense of the
county court next year?
2. The question of relieving the
congested condition Of the docket OF
the circuit court Sc that litigation
may be expedited. especially with re-
spect to damage suits and similar
causes Of action. This brings up the
matter of why the docket is SO con-
gested. 1t is due in q measure to the
increase in court business, but in an
even greater measure to the methods
and practices of conducting the court
business that have obtained for some
years There is delay upon delay,
time wasted and frittered away and
little business dispatched 1t is q
matter Of common report that it re-
Quires more time to get business
through
than in almost any other county Of the
state. The writer has heard this
from both judges and
members Of the bar-not one mem
Der of the Sumter bar. but scvera:
have, in substance, admitted that the
loss of time has been ineNcusable.
Some lawyers blame the judges for
not dominating their courts and
forcing the lawyers to observe the
rules and eliminate needless loss OF
time in the trial of cases. The judges
place the responsibility for needless
frittering away Of the courts time
upon the lawyers The writer is not
a legal expert and is not prepared TO
say where the blame should be placed.
but it is q matter Of fact that the
docket has become congested and
that it seems to take more time than
necessary to get the business trans
OF practically 6isregardins the sum
mer term of court, at which, for
many years. comparatively little bus
mess las been disposed Oft being
the habi, to continue case after case
and frequently to adjourn the court
after only a few days session, on ac-
count of the heat or because the cases
that were on the roster for trial on
certain days had been passed over and
the attorneys We're not ready TO take
Up the cases next in order Will the
county court alter these methods and
habits? We have our doubts, and We
do not believe that either the county
court or the circuit court will clean
up it's docket In the matter OF the
circuit court the probabilities are,
that, having less number Of cases to-