The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-03-17
The Goose that Lays the Golden
Egg.

We have read with some interest the
letter of.Judge Brame on the "Compen-
sation of District Attorneys" published
in THE CLARION, and the reply thereto
of District Attorney Miller, published
the Ledger.
Among the points made by Jude
Brame in Favor of the bill to pay Dis
trict Attorneys a sala,y of $4,000, and to
require the payment of all fees into
the county treasury, is the point that
the fees received by District Attorneys,
under the present system, are out of all
proportion to the fines received by the
State
The illustration givenby Judge Brame
is remarkable one. 1t is this: At the
June term of the Circuit Court in the
First District of Kinds county, twenty
defendants were embraced in one indict-
ment; all plead guilty and the fines
the States money-amounted to $50,
while the District Attorneys money
amounted to S400.
1t is well known that in large
majority OF the criminal cases deter
mined in favor of the State, the fines
imposed are merely nominal, and, at
least, one of the Judges in this State has
said that he was, in most cases, con-
strained to impose such nominal fines
by arrangements and agreements made
between the District Attorney and the
defendants
To put ar end to the evil arising from
the practice of dismissing or mol pross
ing" criminal cases on payment of the
costs, il was enacted by the Legislature
in 1880, that in all cases, so disposed of
the District Attorney should receive nc
fee. The law referred to has had the
effect of preventing dismissals and nollt
''prosequis, but it has established in
their stead nominal fines" What i.
wanted now is law that will get rid oil
"nominal fines" evil rs much to bt
condemned as that which it has sup
planted.
| We do not feel under obligations tt
apologize to the gentlemen who occup,
the offices of District Attorney in this
State, because we see fit to call the at
tention of the Legislature to the "nomi
nal fine system; for we but follow il
, the footsteps of the Legislature whe.
we call attention to tie fact that tn,
evil of mol presses on the payment o
costs which it denounced, has beer sue
ceeded by the evil of nominal fines" on
r payment OF costs, which ought to de.
? nounce.
: Criminal laws are enacted for the sup
: preston of crime, and they should b
executed with that object in view; bu
: under the present system the misde
meanant-the habituai misdemeanant
. is the goose that lays the golden egg
: Ought it to be left with the Distric
/? Attorney 10 say whether he shall b
a killed. Is it to their interest to XII
Y himg The HE .fabala docet, is that til
5 goose that lays the golden egg ought nc
j? to be killed. And so we would say i
+? in laying the golden egg, he were nc
a violating the laws of the land and grea
4 ly adding to the Judiciary expenses q
t the county.
e We have heard it said that the ferme
District Attorney of this District qu
i the Office with $16, 1000 in cash. Til
d would represent an income of $4,000
/. year. We have also heard it said ths
e he received, in one year, fees to th
a amount Of $4,000 in cash. This repr
+ sents. we suppose, the possibilities of Ii
: Office. The aIl-important question i,
! Ought a system which permits sue
spossibilities" to be toleratedg
III We are surprised to hear that Di
9 trict Attorney who discharges his d
d ties in this or any other District, has .
time to practice Law. The fact is, tbs