Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-01-21

scarcely less obvious, is the shortness Of the
time for which the states attorneys are
elected. II has been the custom in some
parts Of the state, we believe, and perhaps
in all, to re-elect attorneys for second
term but even two years are scarcely more
than enough to make the attorney reason
ably familiar with the routine duties OF his
office; and yet, at the end Of the two years he
is RETIRED and another novice is put in his
place. Another defect, perhaps less OBJ
vious, but not less mischievous, is the way
in which the attorney is chosen, !. e., by
popular vote at the regular annual election.
The elective system rests in part on the
theory that the people Of any given COM
munity will in the main act wisely and vir-
tuously-at least in matters pertaining to
the common veal. But here, as in many
other cases, the facts of practice show the
nsufliciency of the theory. The truth is
that in many such cases, the case in hand
amongothers, the people, or at least the wise
and virtuous Of them, do not act at all,
or act at best in very feeble and in
effective manner Many public servants,
the states attorney among them, are in fact
most often chosen by the men who attend
the primaries who run what is well called
"the machine" and chosen, not with view
to their fitness for Office, but with reference
to their capacity for the small work of ma
chine politics or to the anticipated necessi-
ties of office seekers of higher pretensions.
But even If the people really took CONTROL.
ing share in the work of election, there would
still be reason to dstrust results. The
states attorney, it should be remembered, is
elected to prosecute, as the statute says, for
all offences committed within his county.
Thus every actual or potential offender who
is entitled to vote is permitted to express
himself directly on the very question of
who shall prosecute him. That influence
makes directly in favor of the election of
weak and inefficient prosecutors. 1t is no
answer to this to say that crimes are largely
accidental and unforeseen, even by those
who commit them. Men know the processes
that are going on within their own breasts
They know oftener than we are accustomed
to think whether they have that within that
makes them dangerous to society. Let it
not be said that this is fanciful What sort
of prosecutor, think you, could be elected
in North street, or at Five Points The
evil of this is real, and would be plainly
felt, if nominations and elections were not
so governed by the managers of the ma
chine, i. e., if that evil were not so obscured
by greater.
Let us not be misunderstood. We do not
say, nor do we wish it be inferred, that there
are no efficient states attorneys. There are,
of course, exceptions; and any states at
torney who reads this may, if he choose,
think he is one. We refer to no partic-
ular attorney our present concern is with
the system. The remedy for this state of
things is as obvious as the evil of it. The
offices should be so reduced in number and
furnished with such salaries that men of
ability and honor would take them and
make them places of dignity and usefulness.
The attorneys should be appointed and not
elected. Appointments are not always above
criticism; but in this case, at least, we think
it plain that they would better subserve the
public interests.