Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-01-18

ble resources or public funds.
COSTS FOR THE PROSECUTION OF CRIME
/ Reports from twenty-four coun.ie
and estimates as to ten, together will
State costs, show that the amount
expended during, the last year fo
court and coroner jurors and witness
fees and mileage will not fall far shor
OF $3j0,OOO.
The fee system in criminal juris
prudence demands radical reformation
No mileage should be granted, and all
fees should be wiped out. In lieu OF
existing statutory prescriptions cover.
fng this subject, it should be provided
that actual expenses for jurors and
witnesses i'll attendance at court OIL
serving at inquests, be paid under the
certitication of the judge, prosecuting
attorney or coroner, as the case may
be. In civil Jurisprudence, the liti
gants should be required to pay the
fees, as usual.
The first function of society is pro.
lection; its chief organic assailant
crime. All members of civilized so
ciety are bound together as prosecu
tors by an unwritten compact. AS
witnesses or jurors they perform a
duty which should be voluntary and
without hire, rather than enforced or
for pay. No pecuniary sacrifice should
be suffered; no personal profit re.
quired. Under laws limiting the costs
Of prosecutions against crime to REIN.
bursement for actual outlay or loss, a
healthier atmosphere would pe-vade
criminal practice. The evils of the
professional juror and time-serving
witness would be suppressed. Trials
would be shortened, the present cum
bersome records abbreviated and the
active cooperation Of the best classes
OF citizens secured by the official pros.
ecutOrs.
SUPERIOR COURT DISTRICTS.
Re-classifeation of the Superior
Court distrists is desirable, to the end
that the number Of judges may be cut
down. Court commissioners, as pro-
vided for by the constitution, could
make orders in probate in such coun-
ties as might be deprived OF a resident
judge by the formation OF new and
larger districts.
| UNNECESSARY MUNICIPAL COURTS.
The municipal courts are a merely
ornamental and extravagans cncum-
brance to our city governments. The
law which brought them into existence
should be repealed. Recourse should
be had to the former and cheaper plan,
the justices to be allowed salary not
to exceed fifty dollars month.
| JUSTICE FOR RICH AND POOR ALIKE.
Poverty should not be suffered to
serve any longer in Washington as q
badge for exclusion from the admins.
tration of justice. 1t is time law
were enacted granting to impoverished
citizens, upon proper showing of indi.
gence, the right to sue in forma pau.
peris, ministerial officers to perform all
pertinent services without cost or un.
necessary delay. Neither appeal bond
nor printed briefs shall be prerequisite
to hearing in the Supreme Court.
Congress has passed such measure
and its principles are embodied in the
statutes of many States.
| IMPOSITION ON DEBTOR CLASS.
Laws defensive of debtor classes, in.
spired by a discriminating sense oil
the equities involved, are an elemen
tary ingredient of wise government
When property sold on foreclosure OF
execution is redeemed by the debtor
or designated agent within the legaI
annual term of redemption, it is gros:
and manifest injustice to impose on
the debtor the entire judgment deb,
and interest, while at the same time
no means is afforded of recovering
from the purchaser or satisfied credi.
tor the income and profits of which
the owner or debtor has been deprived
during the redemption period.
NEED OF STRINGENT BANKING LAW
The Legislature should address it.
self resolutely to the enactment oI
such law as will render the word
"bank," when inscribed on a public
depository, the synonym Of security.
| RAILROAD LEGISLATION.
Our railroad legislation has been
tentative and trifling, owing to the
prevalence of the idea that the adop-
tion OF any measure attacking trans.
portation revenues might cause losses
on operation and investment, which
would injure the best interests of the
State in discouraging the construction
ton OF new lines or the extension of
existing ones. So long as the ques-
ton of the regulation of railroad and
general transportation charges is ap-
preached in a spirit OF moderation and
with the purpose to do exact justice
between the corporate powers and
their patrons, it is not to be appre.
hended that the public will be accused
of any narrow.visioned hostility or
prejudice to the organized capital
representei in transportation COM
panies. The genius of Vanderbilt
long ago taught us primarily what the
Hungarian zone system has fully
demonstrated in later years; that
minimum charges, enlarging the
4
horizon of freedom in exchange and
commercial intercourse, led to such
increase in the volume of traffic as
makes the sum OF the small profits
greater than the net income from the
higher rates which serve really tc
restrict internal commerce and de-
press the values of communities made
poorer by the waste of products they
can neither use nor send to market
The Legislature should amend ant
improve the present rate law so as t.
afford the public the utmost relic
consistent with huu..Sty and fair deal
ing, and make ample provision for it,
absolute enforcement Complain
OF evasion is now common and an
parently justified. | would recommen,
also that the excessive sleeping, ca
rates i'll this State be scaled down, an,
that the absurd rules of the Pullman
Palace Car Company receive you
attention.
REPORT OF STATE OFFICERS AND COM
MISSIONS.
No review, however synoptic, OF th'
numerous published reports of stat'
officers and commissions could be at
.. tempted without needlessly testin.
concluded on third page.l