The record-union., 1896-06-15
A STATE CONsTABULARY.

The San Francisco Chronicle Of
yesterday advocates system Of ma
tional constabulaIy for capturing of
criminals, its sole purpose being to
block the avenues of escape, which 1t
could do with agents IN every county
Of every State related by wire with the
central Office, to which all escapes Of
criminals would be reported
The Bakersfield Echo advocates at
length and with vigor the establish
ment of a State constabuIary for a sim
ilar purpose, its Offices being confined
eral other contemporaries have ad-
vanced the same idea, and apparently
with preconcert- The thought, there
fore, appears to be the natural out
ly, that criminals escape with ease and
that it is due to the lack of organiza-
tion among peace officers and OF system
under a. competent head.
Some twelve years ago, at a tima
when stage robberies were very com
mon and the cost of pursuing, captur-
ing and prosecuting the Jack Cades fell
upon distant, sparsely settled and finan-
cially weak counties of the State, the
Record Union" took up the idea Of a
State constabulary and pointed out
why it would be effective and economic.
Two years later, we think, the discus
sion resulted in a bill being drawn and
submitted to several legislators, and
Wells-Fargo's detective officer, Mr..
Hume, came to the Capital and pre-
sented the subject from the detectives s
standpoint to the Legislature. But
nothing came Of it
Several times since then the Rec
ord-Union" has revived the debate. and
it has always resulted in the expression
of deep interest in it by most Of the in
terror press. We do not remember
what has been the attitude OF the San
Francisco press upon the subject, but
incline to the belief that very little or
no opposition developed in that quar-
ter. The great body Of the country press
Originally it called for but six officers
to be salaried by the State, five to be
located in the north, the south, on the
coast, and in the middle Sierras, with a
chief at Sacramento. with an office in
the Capitol These officers would be
In instant communication by wire over
more than one route, when possible,
with the chief, who would also be in
close touch with the Chief of Police OF
San Francisco and the police officials
Of all the State.
Each of these State Constables would
have the power to pursue criminals in
any county. regardless OF local juris-
dictions. Every Sheriff and deputy,
every Constable, Marshal and Chief of
Police would be required to act in the
pursuit of criminals under the direc-
ton and according to the plans Of the
State constabulary, and each one of
the State Constables would have power
to call upon and enroll to his aid the
peace officers Of any county through
which he had occasion to operate, and
would have power to direct procedure
In every county In the State to close
avenues Of escape and work out plans
of capture
The belief has long been entertained
that the expense OF such q force would
be money saving to the State and the
counties In the matter of payment OF
rewards and the heavy expenses OF
pursuit by Sheriffs, whose power to act
ends at their county lines One main
reason criminals so easily escape now
Is because of lack of method OF pur-
quit Every Sheriff is independent to
pursue his own methods and work out
his own theories There is for none OF
them the slightest incentive to pursue
without the county. since If 1t is done
the Sheriff must himself foot the bills
Of cost
Under the State Constabulary system
that force would be constantly in
formed concerning every criminal in
the State, his whereabouts and move