The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-06-03

them to have this patronage. But
the publication of the laws In the city
papers would have the same beneficial
effects in enlightening the people, de-
creasing litigation, lessening criminal
prosecutions, and, consequently, d.
minishing the expenses of the courts.
In the publication of the laws to /
the people there is yet another advan- I
tage, and one that may claim to be
worthy of special consideration. IN |
/ dency of legislation a general. The |
attention of the country has been |
lately called to this subject by our dis
tinguished Senator, Hon. o. 2 Nor
ton, in the Senate of the United
States, for which he merits the appro-
baton of all thoughtful men. be
warns the Senate against that sort of
legislation that has a tendency TO
separate the people from the Govern
ment, and advocates diffusion rather
than Capitalization. When the effort
was made to discontinue the publlca-
ton of the laws of Congress, he
urged that it would be more wise to
publish the laws In one newspaper IN
every Congressional District. and
thus bring the legislative power into
closer relations with the people.
The vast accumulation of wealth
In certain commercial centers, and
among certain monopolists has ten
dency to centralize the political power
of the country, and this should be re-
sisted by the people. They should
have the fullest information on all
the acts and doings Of their public
servants, lest the power of the gov
eminent shall soon be centered in the
, few, to the sacrifices of the rights
and interests of the many.
J Referring. In conclusion, to the
: second topic embraced in the title of
Z this paper, we may urge still more
plausible reasons why the proceed
| ings of the Commissioner Courts
d. should be published, by law, In the
{ county papers. In fact, it appears
: strange, in reviewing the subject and
/ considering how deeply the interests
8 of the people are involved, that pro-
e vision has not long since been made
: to this sd There is in the
: whole system of our State and
? local legislation, no position OF
y so great responsibility in which
S the interests Of the people are
so poorly guarded While the ses-
Il sions of these courts are open to the
}, public, yet no one feels called upon to
g become a spy on their proceedings for
i the public. Reviewed by no superior
G court, as to the details of their action,
e and screened by the Indifference OF
r, the public, it is safe to say that many
F. orders are passed by these courts that
: would never have found place upon
It the records, if they knew every act
1. was to be placed before the people IN
e the Public Press, and, hence, become
It subject to the criticism of the people.
o These Commissioners are no better
e and no worse than other officers.
J. They may, like other men, be honest
e or dishonest. They should be treat
d ed, therefore, just as are all other off,
d GERS In like responsible positions.
e The public interest should be
d guarded against the possibility OF
d abuse. They occupy the same rela-
n ton to the interests of the county
e as the Common Council does to the
), city. Who does not see the safe
J. guards of economy in the publication
G in the city papers of the Council pro-
It ceediDgs? A Councilman may with
e carless Indifference vote fer the al
}, lowance of an exorbitant bill against
o the city, but he soon learns, through
g experience that he must meet with
y public condemnation when his careless
e acts are reviewed in the public press
f by the citizens. There is thus made
J. upon him q constant pressure to cause
{ him to be vigilant, and careful of the
@ interests of the city. The same re-
0 suit would follow if the law provided
S for the publication of an autheti-
| e II L. II
: the Commissioner courts. It is no
9 valid answer to say that there Is no
j law requiring the publication of
e Council proceedings, and that private
o enterprise should secure the publica-
b. ton Of those of the Commissioners
: Courts also. Our answer is that pri-
f vate enterprise does not secure it.
s Many of the country papers cannot
g afford to do this work for nothing, in
{. which all alike are interested, and
the fact is plain, that they do not do
i it. The matter is of sufficient import
! ance to require their publication by
5. law. And here, again, We claim that
4 this further encouragement to the
} press will more than pay the expense,
= as in the case of the publication of
= the laws passed by the General As
: sembly. Tho writer of this article is
acquainted with case that will illus
) trate and prove the declaration, that
: it will be vast saving of money to
the counties to pay literally for the
= publication of the Commissioner
D Court proceedings. There is record
r CT bill allowed for the transfer of
: crazy woman from one of our poor
houses to the asylum at indianapolis,
, in the proceedings of one of the Coun-
, ty Commissioners Courts of this
State on the line of a railroad, the
f amount of which, above what
! ought to have been paid, would amply
) pay for the publication of all the pro-
} ceedings of that court for FIVE years.
! Who believes such a record would
ever have been found there, if all the
acts of the Court had been required to
be published. &c came there either
by carelessness or dishonesty, and
both would have been avoided, if the
Commissioners were constantly i'm
pressed with the fact that all their
acts were to be scrutinized by the
people. How many such cases have
occurred all over the State? How
few of the records arc free from all
such mistakes?
There is without doubt some dis
satisfaction in the minds of the peo-
pie in regard to this matter that
arouses prejuuices against county off,
GERS, often uDjustly. These, with the
Commissioners themselves, should be
relieved from the aspersions that are
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