The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-16
INCREASE OF CRIMES AND CRIMINAL
EXPENSES

We clip the following from an editorial
in the last number of the Poultney Jour
nal.
Some weeks since, THE GLOBE had an
extended editorial in regard to the in
creased expenditures in criminal prosecu-
tons, and if we mistake not, several times
afterward called attention to that subject
In one of its articles it stated, as near as
we can recolect, that the expenditures of
criminal prosecutions since 1860 had in
creased five hundred per cent. in Rutland
county. OF our own Knowledge, we should
say the increase had been very large and
should presume that THE GLOBE had the
figures, md is right. The object of THE
GLOBE in bringing out that information
might have been the censure Of the Rutland
officers, but ii it were, the information is
important to the public, and we wish it
would pursue it's Investigations 1t is well
known that this increase in great part has
come in prosecutions for violations of the
liquor law. We do not say this either
to approve or condemn the law. Our
opinion has been frequently given in regard
to that law, and always in favor of sustain
ing and enforcing it, but the point now is
the Information the public should have
Some friend of the public interest and
public welfare would do valuable service
to collect and colla,e the expenditures for
criminal prosecutions from some point in
the past, say 1850 (lhe further back he
could go the better, to the present time
But this is not all the information needed
the number of convictions, what for,
how many Of the crimes can be traced to
intemperance, in short, all the information
that would be necessary to enlighten the
people IN regard to the wisdom of existing
laws, the faithfulness of their administra-
ton, and the progress Of progress there
has BEEN in virtue and morality.
In compliance with the suggestion, we
might say, request of the Jotrnal, we
give, SO far as We are able at the present
time, some of the information sought
We may premise that we have no opinion
to give relative to the cause of this Increase
of expenditures ; no censure to cast upon
any one we but give the facts, let the
conclusion, praise or censure, suggested
thereby, be what it may. Our statistics
are for the years 1S47 and 1874, the returns
Of those years being the easiest of access,
those of 1874 being the latest made, and
those of 1S47 the most complete of the
earlier years at hand.
In order to arrive at the relative popula-
ton of the state at these different periods
we may take the last United States census
previous thereto. In 1910, the population
was 20l, 04S, and in 1870, 330,55l. The
grand list of Vermont-that is, its wealth
as appraised for.lhe purposes of taxation
in lS47, was $766,Oll.98; and in 1874,
Sl,145, 115.49.
We come how to the criminal expenses
for the year lS47. First as to the whole
state. The entire expenses of the courts
OF Vermont, which were paid by tho state,
Including salaries Of judges and reporters,
jury and witness debentures, criminal
prosecutions before magistrates, inquests,
ETC., sheriff's clerks and states attorneys
accounts, jail expenses and ''miscellane-
sous" were, in ls47, $89,sO4. "a. Remem-
Der that this was the entire Expenses of
''the judiciary and prosecuting crime" for
the whole state IN lS47, and we will come