Litchfield enquirer., 1875-03-25
AlL REFORM.

In the articles reprinted on our first page will be found the facts and figures upon which we base our claim that 8 re- form Is needed in the management of our jail. We have proved in those articles that the county has suffered serious loss during the six years term of the present sheriff. and that he IS clearing yearly large amount from the board-money and earnings of prisoners. The loss of $1 300 which we anticipated from Mir. Baldwin's election in 1872 has been more than real ized. So large has been the average num- Der of prisoners, for the past two years, that the present keeper stands willing to give. in effect, 5000 year for the rent of the jail and the prisoners labor, instead of the $500 on which we reckoned in 1872. We have proved, we think to the satisfac- tion of all unprejudiced people, that the sheriff has cleared over g, 900 during the past year on his jail management, and there is no indication that the average of prisoners will decrease during the coming three years term for which a sheriff is to be elected. this spring. We have also sta ted our belief that the sheriff is not legal ly entitled to the wages earned by the prisoners, or to work them without com pensation on his own land. Indeed Mir. Baldwin's mode of managing the jail is so manifestIy objectionable, that Mir. Stark, chairman of the Board of Charities, re- peatedly spoke in condemnation of it, both before the informal meeting to which he explained his plan for a new jail, and be- fore the meeting of county Representa- tives.
 It IS our belief that suit would lie against Mir. Baldwin for the prisoners' earnings he has appropriated to his own use; but whether such suit should be brought by county or state authorities, IS a matter of more doubt. The question, this spring IS not, however, whether MT. Baldwin's action has been illegal; that is a question for the courts. It is whether the present mode of managing our jail ia Q profitable one for the public; that is question for the people. If Reform is really the order of the day. and the peo- pie care to save S100O. year to the county treasury, now is time to do itl Had the con- vention which nominated MI. Baldwin in 1872 pledged him to reform in jail man agement, there would have been a large saving during the past three years, Let each of the two conventions which meets. this week. for nomination of sheriff. require its nominee to give up the manage ment of the jail to some suitable deputy who is to pay reasonable rent for the same to the county. or receive reasonable sal ary and turn over theas profits. into the county treasury, as the county commis- sioners may prefer. That we seek no par ty advantage from such an arrangement must be evident from the fact that the board of county commissioners will have majority of Democrats, this year, if that party carries the next legislature. .aaaLf5
 The question is simply whether the loud call for Reform from the so-called Liberal Democracy is genuine tor merely partisan. It is bad sign that the county organs of that party fill theIr columns with denunciations of extrayagance at Washington and dare not say a word about extrayagauce here in Lit:hfe1d.
 We have purpossly given the Democra- cy of this county every opportunity to make the reform so much needed in our jail management, without lninring their party prospects. They have only to pledge their nominee, whether it be Mr.