SUPREME COURT DISTRICTS.
Mr. DAGGY, from the Committee on Organization of Courts of Justice, returned the bill [8. 52], dividing the State into five Supreme Court Judicial Districts, with a majority report recommending a substitute therefor.
Mr. HOUGH presented a minority report from the same committee, dissenting from the majority report for constitutional reasons, that the districts should be composed of contiguous territory. They report a substitute for the bill [S. 52]. Mr. Hough constitutes the minority and dissents on the ground that the extension proposed by the majority is in violation of a section of the Constitution, which provides that "such districts shall be formed of contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as, without dividing a county, the same can be made." He says he finds a difference between two counties, which can be remedied by his substitute, whereby the districts will be composed of contiguous territory, and the population in each will be as follows: In the first district, 335,041; second district, 334,456; third district, 335,466; fourth district, 334,274; fifth district, 336,809.
Mr. GLESSNER moved that the reports lie on the table and be made the special order for Wednesday next at 2 o'clock p. m.
Mr. DAGGY opposed postponment, as it was important to put this bill forward.
Mr. GLESSNER modified his motion by changing the time from Wednesday till Monday.
Mr. HOUGH urged the concurrance of the Senate in the minority report, which makes a variance of but about 2,000 from the lowest to the highest number in each district, while in the bill recommended by the majority there is a difference in population between the districts of about six thousand. He favored the motion to make the subject the special order for Monday at 2 o'clock p. m.
Mr. DITTEMORE moved to amend by making the subject the special order for this afternoon at 2 o'clock.
On motion by Mr. GLESSNER, this amendment was laid on the table.The motion to make these reports the special order for Monday afternoon was agreed to.
