The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-08-09
fspsctst Hnltns seryice.l

IA controversy affecting Rock L.
land county Is expected in the con-
stitutional convention when that
body reconyenes in September to
approve the final draft Of the re-
vised constitution to be submitted
to the electors.
The anticipated fight will be on
the redistricting Of the state into
supreme court districts. II the pres
efit article In the present draft OF
the new constitution, which redis-
tricts the state, Is allowed to stand.
Rock Island county will be taken
from District. 4 and placed in Dis
trict 2. District includes all the
northern counties running from the
Iowa border to Lake Michigan,
with the exception Of Cook coun-
ty. This will make it necessary Tor
Justice r. 4. Thompson to serve
the people OF District 2. while he
was elected from District 4.
The change which is being pro-
posed and which apparently will
be debated in September, pro-
vides for nine supreme court
Judges. The present revised article
provides for seven.
The proposed article will not re-
district the state, but will leave
Illinois with the present seven
divisions. But the district now in
GLIDING Cook county will be en-
titled to three judges, not more
than two. of whom shall be resi-
dents of one county. The Judiciary
article as it now appears in the re-
vised constitution will place JUS
tice Thompson in District 2.
But under the article which Is
being advocated by some delegates
to the convention-the article pro-
viding retention of the present
seven districts-Justice Thompson
will continue to be a resident OF
District 4, the division which elect
ed him.
-rThe proposed change is dis
cussed in letter from Henry l.
Green, chairman Of the committee
of submission of the convention, to
attorney c. E. Dietz Of Moline
delegate to~the convention.
Delegate .Dietz favors the pro-
pdsed change, believing the redis-
tricting plan OF the present judici-
afy article will prove cumbersome
and contending that court OF nine
members is not compatible Will
good judicial procedure.
The proposed change will also
! according to Delegate Dietz, permit
the people of District 4 to be rep
resented on the supreme bench 1y
the man whom they elected and or
the other hand will not force JUS
tice Thompson to serve from 4
district by which he was not elect
ed.
Delegate Dietz stated that the
district which includes Cook coun'
" now has more than half thu
population of the state. The pro
posed change to be debated by thu
convention would give that distric
three judges, still only thlrd O.
the total of nine judges.
The letter from Mr.. Green says II
has been reported that the present
arrangement of redistricting the
state is going to produce a ire
menduous vote against adoption o.
the revised constitution. =
/, Delegate Green is writing letter.
Ito ali members of the convention
from the proposed new district, 2
Where, he says, the opposition tt
the constitution will be strongest
Il The reason for that reported op
4 position apparently lies III the fac
that if the judiciary article !:
adopted in its present form it viii
not give District 2 an opportunit.
To elect a judge until the term o
Justice Thompson expires and tina
will not be for some time.