The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-06-02
CAUSTIC REMARKS
IN CHARGE TO JURY
SAYS JUDICIARY AND ALL DE-
PARTMENTS ARE SUB-ORDI-
MATED TO POLITICS.
OPPOSED TO BIG BOND ISSUE
Thinks Governors Term Should Be
AS Long as Coroner's. Raps Penal
System, and Would Punish Drinker
AS Well as Seller of Whisky.


AS Well as Seller of Whisky.
/ AMERICUS, Ga.-Declaring that
politics in Georgia is working to the
detriment of the state, and that the
judiciary is subordnated to it, Judge
W. " Custer, of the Albany circuit,
sitting for Judge z. A. Littlejohn in
Sumter superior court, fayed the pres
ent system declared that Georgia is
tagging behind on account of it and
said he would not offer again for Of
fee because Il am through"
He condemned the proposed $751;
100000 road bond issue for Georgia
and "deplored the present condition
where a man has to adopt the role
of a hand-shaking, baby-kissing poll
tician before he can win place on
the judiciary bench" He suggested
that judges be appointed so as to re-
move them from politics.
Will Retire From Office.
when l finish my term | shall not
offer for reelection" said Judge Gus
ter. Il have had enough and | see no
reason why | should pay $1,000 or
more to gain an Office. Your judiciary
should not be hampered by politics,
and that is one thing the matter with
Georgia see no reason why a judge
shold be compelled to enter the politi-
cal arena and kiss all the babies. I'M
less a Judge wants to be governor or
go to congress there's no reason for
his running for judge. If the people
want to be served appoint your judi
ciary, take them out of politics. The
sooner the better.
| Politics! That's what's the matter
with Georgia; that's why we are lag
ging behind; that's why we have ac-
complished but little in the past five
or six years.
II am not making political speech,
| for. as | have said before, | am
! through. / want no Office again, blas
Iby bringing these matters to your at
tention we may be able to crystalline
Ipublic opinion on the evils in the state
and thus correct them.
Il believe every judge on every
bench in Georgia is honest, but you
owe it to them and your state to take
their offices out of politics. Remember,
it's the bootleggers and the lawbreak-
ers who vote 100 per cent. Lots of
our best citizens don't vote. We need
more horse sense in Georgia, and
horse sense is something that a jack
ass hasn't got"
Pay as You Go, He Urges.
There is a scheme" continued
Judge Custer, "fathered by some, to
issue $75,000,000 in bonds to build
roads in Georgia. | would not vote
for the issue under any condition. We
don't need bonds We can build our
roads and pay as we 60 There is too
much politics in the highway depart
ment.
"The penal institutions in Georgia,
! about 154 of them, are a disgrace.
They are a stencil in the nostrils of
! God Almighty Here the jurist went
at some length into the system used
in Alabama, where convicts are re-
warded for good service. Over there
| they are making men out OF the un-
| fortunates.
although the lash has been abol-
ished by Ex-Governor Hardwick many
wardens are using methods just as
bad or worse" he said
| lnank1ul TOT DleL1l1dl 0SSS1OtlS.
| He believes that the governor should
be elected for a term of four years,
and congratulated the Legislature on
the passage of the law giving the state
| biennial sessions of the assembly.
Here we are in Georgia electing
coroner for four years, but compel the
governor to run every two years. The
governor is scarcely in his chair before
he must begin running again II ne
wants to serve four years" he said.
Il am thankful we will have biennial
sessions of the legislature after this
year. 1t will be glorious experience
to go through a summer with no
political convention in session in At
lanta"
Not Too Many Laws.
/ Judge Custer said he desired to see
special tax levied by the state for
the benefit of the state board of health,
and said a bill levying 4 cents per
capita would be presented this sum-
mer.
Judge Custer warned the jury that
an effort might be made to sell the
state-owned W. & A. railroad and use
these funds. Don't let them sell that
a month rental now
/ He believes that every county should
have a county police force to aid in
the suppression of speeding and inn
moral conduct along the public roads.
He doesn't think there are any too
many laws on the statute books, but
says others are needed
/ Would Punish Drinker.
! For the enforcement of the prohi-
bition laws he believes that Georgia
and other states should adopt a law
similar to the Indiana law, which is
law against drinking spurious liquors
rather than the making and selling.
As rule man gets into the leg
islature because nobody else would
have the job. We aren't getting our
best citizens there, he said, and that's
one of the things that's the matter
with Georgia.