The Hartford herald., 1880-03-31
Reform Must Begin nj Home.
Ei'tor Herald:

Esi'tor Herald:
Ii is painful indeed 10 listen 10 the ap-
peal of the people to the politicians and
To their respective party leaders, for re-
form and retrenchment i'm public mat
ters F; and then again TO hear the pledges
of those seeking the honor and emolu-
ments of office: and at last TO witness
the disregarding of those pledges, and
the disappointment Of the people. IL
II useless TO expect our legislatures,
either State or National, to reform the
people; reform must begin at home,
with the people, and then extend to
public matters. Our public men will
then, a. natural consequence and a
matter of expediency, conform them
selves to the wishes of the people they
serve. To convince ourselves that re-
form cannot he brought about by legis-
lation, We have hut TO look at the pro-
ceedings of our present Legislature;
they have attended to few minor mat
tiers IF reform, but have, as vet, been
unable To reach the big Bonanza sal
aries and eXorbitant fees of many of
our State and county officers; some Of
which have not been reduced since the
war; yet they have, with facility that
is remarkable, passed an act reducing
the pay of jurors, while their own
present members per diem remains
the same. Can any of our solons give
"A good reason why the pay of juror
should be- less than that of legislator,
since il takes about as much good COM
mon sense to make the former as it does
the latter il does seem that if any dis
elimination is made il should he in ia
yor of the juryman, as he is compelled
by law TO quit his business, furnish his
own conveyance, and repair from the
extreme portion of the county, il may
bel to the county seat, and pay the eX-
penses for himself and horse, and the
niggardly compensation allowed by law
will bring him i'm debt; while with the
legislator it il a voluntary business and
the State pays his travelling expenses To
and from the State Capital.
Another matter seems To be unjust,
the law that prevents the Court of
Claims from appropriating money for
blowing ON public roads relieves prop
erty from taxes lin this county to the
amount of 81 800 to $1,000 and places
that amount of extra labor on the hands
that have to keep up the public roads:
the poor man generally needs nothing
hhert t1aii Drlule-lfatn, ana sometimes
not even that, az frequently he has no
horse, while his rich neighbor, whose
property is exempt from being taxed
for the purpose, is benefited by good
roads.
But perhaps the greatest injustice
done the people OF this Commonwealth
by the legislature was the donation of
$4,000 TO the widow of the late Judge
Elliott; while hundreds and thousands
of poor widows who have as great
claims for public charity are having
their last remnant of household furni-
ture sold to pay their taxes, that must
go to help pay this extravagance.
But ] didn't start out To write
structure on our legislature but to call
upon the people to desist from the cry
for reform until they have begun and
carried on the good work at home, TIL
all of their honest debts are paid and
times begin to get good; and then see
to il that none but honest and upright
men are elected to office and they will
remain so; at least this is the opinion
OF Poor PETE.