The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1874-02-11
The Morristown Gazette.
Wednesday, February Il, 1874.
CRIMINAL COSTS AND TAX
ATIONS-JUDICTOUS RE.
FORMS NEEDED

article pointing out certain marked
imperfections in our judiciary sys
tenn. and suggesting a reformation
as to such, which, article I see has
been republished with more or less
appreciation by several leading pa.
pers in the State.
In that article 1 proposed, on &C.
count of the costliness of our pre-
sent system, and the vexations de-
lays which it imposes upon the adj
ministration of justice, to abolish
our Circuit and County Courts as
such, and organize in lieu of them a
law and surrogate court in every
county, vesting such court with all
the powers now given to both, the
Circuit and County Courts, and that
such law and surrogate court should
sit for the disposal of business once
every month. also, in said article
suggested other notifications of and
innovations upon our present sys-
tenn.
Since writing that article, have
obtained some statistics, which may
prove of interest to your readers,
while at the same time they serve to
! illustrate the necessity of the re-
forms which | have suggested.
propose i'll this article to make
more direct reference to my own
county, Jefferson, observing, how
ever, that the remarks are equally
applicable to any other county in
the State.
find that during the year just
closed, the Treasury of the State of
Tennessee, paid out for salaries of
judicial officers, the sum of S1l4,-
10000.
For the prosecution of persons
charged with the commission of
felonies the State paid out last year
1925. 100000, (of this amount $780,
100000 was for Jail fees alone.)
estimate that the proportion of
the above amounts paid by jefferson
county into the Treasury of the
State is about $3,39O,0O. To this,
add the sum of $6,5O0,O0, the
amount of costs paid by the county
for the prosecution of persons charg-
ed in the county with committing
misdemeanOrs, and expense Of hold
ing the courts To this, add the
sum of $4,000, the proXimate
amount paid by the county to the
members Of the County Court Chair
man. associates, and the attendance
of the Justices upon the quarterly
sessions.
Thus we have a grand total of
abount $40, $4,000 paid last year by
the tax payers of jefferson county
into the Treasures Of the State and
county. for the betrayal of the ex-
penses, under our present system,
of the various courts of Justice in /
the county. This estimate only in
cludes the actual amount which the
taxpayers of the county had to pay
in as taaeS for the purposes afore.
said, and does not include the thous-
ands of dollars needlessly expend-
ed by the citizens of the county who
have been litigants in the courts, by
reason of the delays, &C., incident to |
our present system.
| am satisfied that the above es-
innate is too small, but it is suffici-
emily large to illustrate my view. |
Now the question l propose is
this, viz: Can there not be a sys-
tenn of judication devised that will !
be far less costly, afford a much !
speedier redress for grievances, and
at theesame time secure to the people
all the substantial advantages of our
present system? | think there can.
| wish understood that am on
blind advocate of my own hobby. |
believe that the changes [ proposed |
in my former article, if made and
carried out, would answer in every
respect the wants of the people but
am not so indissolubly welded to
my own idea of reform, as to be
unable to see any possible good
thing that may be proposed by an
other.
Ny first object is to agitate the
question. --
A distinguished gentleman of
Middle Tennessee, writing to
me since the publication of nv
former article, closes by saying, II
sincerely hope that you "will con-
tinue to agitate the subject ''until
we shall have thorough ''retrench-
ment and REFORM"
There are, no doubt, many other
large leaks in the Treasury, which
might be closed if the attention of
the people were called to them; but.
for my part, shall feel comparative
ly satisfied to have suggested an
agitation that may result IN one ex-
teasive reform. and am willing to
leave to others the honor of starting
Investigation into other departments,
and suggesting the proper mode of
in other franehes of
the public service.
That we need less costly method
Of administering public justice. must
be apparent to every one; it is es.
pecially so, to those who pay the
,axes.
Our country needs development
we need more farmers, more citi-
zens, more laborers; but when we
BRING to the attention of persons at a
distance. who desire to emigrate,
he great natural advantages of our
country, they naturally inquire as to
he rate of taxation. and many, no
loubt, have been deferred from com 9
ng among US with their capital {
md industry, by the high rate of !
axation, necessary to keep up and
ustain the costly institutions which j
ave been perpetuated in commem-
ration of our ancient master, Great y
Britain. Our Circuit and County e
;ourts are modelled after the insti. !