The Lincoln County herald., 1873-01-15

legislature Of Canada created such
board, and, notwithstan ding the many
defects 10 the act Of creation, the most
satisfactory results have attended its op.
srations. This board Of msuagsrs should
have absolute control Of the institution -
the appointment of oil its officers aud
Be made responsible to the state for
everything connected with the adminis.
tratiou of its affairs. Moreover, my own
judgement is, that this board should not
oaly have the management Of the psni.
tentiary, but Of every prison and Jail 10
Missouri, to great extent. And 1t
might Be we'll, also to include our insane
assylums and all Of our other benevolent
institutions which ars upheld aud sup
ported at the expense Of tho state. If
board consisting Of three or more Of the
most enlightened, benevolent and best
business msn to bs found 10 tho limits Of
the commonwealth had the care, control
and exclusive management Of oil the in.
stitutions just mentioned, am sati6ed
that the best results would follow. and
that it would place Missouri iu advance
Of oil the other states 10 regard to these
matters. There would be no more squan.
derings of the public means, no longer
complaints heard Of the management Of
institutions mentioned, aud never would
anoth dollar have to be appropriated BY
the general asse emily 10 make self susta'ng
q rison that has withinits walls almost .
thousand convicts. and three fourths Of
whom arc able bodied working men.
For full discussion Of this whole ques-
tiou and all matters connected with it, l
refer you to the able and exhaustive re-.
port Of that eminent philaothropist, Dr..
K. G. Winer. upon prisoners and Re-
formatories," made to the legislature Of
New York in 1867 aud especially TO that
part Of it commencing at page II, aud
ending at page sc.
There is not man in Missouri, I sup.
pose, who ia satisfied With the manage.
ment and the result Of the management
Of our penitentiary. therefore urge
you to take the matter into serious con
sideration, aud adopt such legislation as
you may deem best calculated to stife
public clsmor, and place the state prison
upon self sustaining basis at least.
No greater abuse has found its way into
the administration Of affairs in Missouri.
than the one connected with costs 10
criminal cases. Hundreds and thousands
Of dollars are stolen out Of the public
treasury annually, under the claim Of
costs incurred in criminal prosecuting.
Various remedies have been proposed,
but they have oil so far proved abortivs,
and no RENE ly will ever be found until
the legislature eradicates the evil by do
claring that no costs shall be paid in
criminal or personal cases, either out of
the state or county treasury. As the law
now stands, the clerks and sheriffs in the
different counties Of the state can make
cost bills just as large us their cupidity
may demaLd. They can issue as many
subp@nas for as many witnesses as they
please, aud that without authority, and
for no other purpose than to make costs
But may DO told that it would be q
great hardship to eempel the officers of
court 10 render services, aud be held ac-
countab!e for doing SO, and then allow
them no compensation. At irst blush,
there is an apparent hardship in 1t, al
init, but when properly considered there
il no greater hardship 10 this than there
is in lawyer attending to . case aud get
ting no pay for his services; or in tho
farmer selling the products Of bis farm
to those who iail to pay him.
The state rests under no formal obi
cation to compensate any citizen for the
d scharge Of u governmental duty and
the existing legal obligation to pay costs
10 criminal cases 10 self. Imposed, aud may
at any time be removed. Every citizen
whose life, reputation and property are
protected BY the laws Of the government
under which he lives, yves allegiance to
that government, ard is bound to dis
charge every duty imposed thereby. No
one questions tho right of tie state to
compel all citizens to pay taxes, to labor
without compensation upon public roads,
to perform military duty, and defend even
at the sacrifice Of life the constitution
aud government Of the country. All
citizens may be compelled to serve upon
|juries, and to attend and give evidence ss
witnesses. In . word, oil private citi :
gems and oil public officers must discharge
every obligation imposed by the law, and
upon the discharge of which the success
Of the government 10 the enforcement Of
the law, and the promotion Of the hap.
piness Of the people depends. Whether
citizens for performing their obligations
to the state shall be pecuniarily rewarded
therefor or not, is q question Of public
policy alone, end 9 question which has
been decided both ways by the different
states Of the Union. The evil 10 be
renedied, when the law providing fos the
paymen Of costa was enacted, was the
oss Of fees, occasionally, by those who
had rendered service in criminal prosecu.
tions. The evil to be remsdied COW 10
the prospective bankruptcy Of the trsss.
ury, aud tho ruin Of the people, BY hsv.
ing to pay most outsagsously high ts1ss.
Ona sivth ~ Tho nntiro r0vanua ~ Aha