The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-04-13

the state, was fought vigorously by a
few attorneys and judges and large
element Of the people The plan eVi-
IDENTIFY did not meet with the send-
ment of the members Of the conven-
ticn, for, as Justice O,Niell expressed
It. Judge was benefited by rubbing
shoulders with the people and seeking
their suffrage.
The appointive system, like the
has its bad side as well as It's
good. BY adopting the former we
might rid the state OF the evil features
OF the latter, but at the same time
gather the evils of the former along
with it. vesting the executive with
too much power does not sit well on
the stomachs of the people, for they
fought for twenty years to shelve the
old system long in vogue and If they
voluntarily surrendered now the
rights they have regained it would
require another quarter-century OF
hard fighting to put an end to the auto
cratic system again entrenched IN
power.
a layman can hardly criticise the
Spencer plan for the several counts.
We never could see any great good
to be derived in abolishing the OLD
iudicial districts and creating from
the ruins but four, in which a num-
Der of judges were to be chosen by
the governor on recommendation Of
the judicial councils A redistricting
of the state to fit existing conditions
and electing one Judge in each district
as the present plan provides, would
enlarged or made smaller as occasion
fit the situation. Districts could be
required, and this would have been
satisfactory to the people. No one
will deny that the judges should re-
ceive better salaries, but the plan pro
posed by the bar association would
have increased the cost Of the jud.
ciary out of all reason and proportion.
The proposed adjustment of the office
of district attorney did not look good
from any angle, for in its stead there
would have been parish attorneys
for each parish-and the number Of Of
ficeholders would therefore have been
increased. The district attorneys
of the state ar enot oyerburdened with
work before the criminal terms Of
court and they could well handle more.
To abolish the present system would
be adding further to the cost Of gov
eminent and the proposition should
never have been considered.
No one denies that the supreme
court is overburdered; that its mem
bership should be enlarged and the
salaries of the judges of that tribunal
be materially increased. The court
is several years behind in its docket
and at the present rate of progress ii
will never get out of the woods"
The court sits about nine months in
the year and is on vacation the oth-r
three. There is a decision day once
~. month bapoa +hara ara b,,t ,,;Do
decision days per year. The tribunal
will never clear the docket under
such a program, and if that pro-
gram is to be shelved there must
be an increase in numbers. Fur
Their, the court should not be
made up Of men past the age of life
when they can render full and Wig
orous time to the work in hand.
Physical unfitness of justices tends
much to clog the wheels and mire up
Only men mentally AMI
fit to hold the position.
should have seats, and when mem
Der begins to fail there should be
somo provision of the law that viii
retl.e IN from the bench-on a pen
sion, of course-so the seat can
be filled by man better fitted TO
shoulder the burden.
Summed up, the judiciary of the
state can be reformed by providing for
at least two more supreme judges,
redistricting the state as to the dis
trict courts, giving the court OF ap-
peal a little more jurisdiction, abolish
ing the office of Justice of the peace,
pay the judges better salaries and
retain all the splendid features of the
present pfsn, Including an elective
Judiciary, though the evils of this
latter can be minimized by making al!
terms eight or twelve years. which
would provide salye for the eternal
cry take the judges out of politics. /"
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