The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-02-14
BILL TO ALLOW
APPOINTING OF
JUDGES SCORED
Attorneys Are Opposed to
Granting Right to
Governor.

Five Of the eight lawyers who
conceived the idea incorporated in
a bill which would give the Gov
ernor power to appoint all Marion
county judges except the circuit
Judge, we're "tarred with the utility
stick" Monday night.
The utility brand came during a
hearing in the house of representa-
tives chamber before the commit
tee on organization of courts and
criminal code.
The utility connection was
charged in a petition from : the
North Side Federation of Civic
Clubs, composed Of fifteen organiza-
TONS and presented by member
of the bar, William Bosom.
According to the petition, the FIVE,
either individually or through law
firms of which they are members,
have or have had the following con-
nections:
Joseph S. Daniels, indianapolis
Water company; Howard S. Young.
indianapolis Power and Light COM
pany; Frank G. Daley, Indiana Bell
Telephone company; Henry H.
Hornbrook, Citizens Gas company,
and Hubert Hickam, Southern In
diana Telephone company.
Hickman Makes Reply
Hickman was the only one Of the
five to reply to the petition. He
said his firm had served in receiver
ship proceedings against the south
ern company.
The federation petition asserted
the appointive system for judges
would tend to favoritism"
A rising vote on the bill was
taken among attorneys present and
showed they oppose the measure by
about ten to one. Decision on COM
mittee action will be made at an
executive session. Representative
Bess Robbins Dem, Indianapolis
is chairman.
The bill provides that the Gov
ernor shall select judges from a list
submitted by a judicial council Of
nine members two to be selected by
the chief justice of the Indiana SUI
preme court; two by the judge of
Marion circuit court, and five by
former presidents of the Indianap-
oils Bar Association.
Sees Politics Eliminated
Hornbrook opened the discussion
for advocates of the bill. He as
serted the appointive plan would
have a tendency to make 1.-The Of
flee seek the man, instead of the
man seeking the Office" and that
choice could be made without
regard to politics.
Paul G. Davis, attorney, in criti-
cism of election Of judges, declared
the public is indifferent to primary
elections and that a candidate for
Judge. forced to go through cam
paigns for nomination and election,
rather lowers the judiciary"
Howard S. Young, another sup
porter of the bill. declared ANY
plan which would prevent candi-
date for Judge going through two
campaigns would be a gooo thing.
Bingham Opposes Move
Opponents of the bill were lee by
James E. Bingham. former attorr ey-
general of Indiana. He Asserted
that not more than a fourth of the
members of the indianapolis Bar
Association attended a meeting a.
which it was decided to frame the
bill
Theory of the office seeking the
man would be no nearer realization
under an appointive system than an
elective one, Albert Stump asserted
and was applauded.
John Royse presented petition of
the South Side Civic Clubs. COM
posed of twelve organizations, de-
claring the bill "a radical departure
from the right of the people to elect
their officials"
Possibility that utility minded
lawyers would have a hand in selec-
ton of judges should be avoided,
the petition continued.