The age-herald., 1899-01-26
THE COMMISSIONERS COURT MATTER

To the Editor of the Age-Herald:
 The citizen who is worthy of his suffrage will not consider his personal liberty jeop- ardized or the right of self-government impaired by peaceful and orderly removal of vicious and vilainous government which under the chances of the elective system he may have helped to set up over himself and the community. Self-government is not license to the individual to let slip un- bridled passion, but restraint; not license to the officer, but definitive application of rules of reward and punishment.
 It is not a discovery in Governor John- stons term of office that the commissions CTS court of Jefferson county has been out side the law in It's conduct of the high things assigned to it. One of the ablest county solicitors we have ever had was anxious before his time closed in death to vindicate the law amidst the abuses, as he conceived them, of this court, but crcum- stances not here necessary to state in de- tail arrested his purpose.
 The commissioners court of Dallas coun- ty was abolished, one member put in the penitentiary, another fled the grasp of the law, a third died before action reached
 
 Lawrence and Elmore, one black and two the creative authority towit, the legisla- ture The supreme court has held that the commissioners court can be controlled only by the legislature The courts cannot reach 1t. It is quasi legislative board in itself, created not by any direct provision of the legislature. It is no infringement of the theory of self-government if the legis- lature revokes it's own act and creates a board of revenue in lieu of commission CTS court. There has been no addition to the constitutional status of the suffrage by the division of Jefferson county into four commissioners districts, from each of which a member of the court shall be elected, provided the public convenience now attained is in some other effective way se- cured, for example, by the appointment by the governor of a board of revenue.
 It is a question if the members of a mere board such as the court, so-called. of coun- ty commissioners, can be impeached. There is no doubt that they can be legislated out of office as they were legislated in
 Let us refer for a moment to the tribun- als appointed for impeac achment by article VII. of the state constitution. In class 1 the senate is the tribunal; in class the supreme court; in class the circuit court. The county board of revenue or the com missioners court falls under none of these.
 Governor Johnston has displayed the nerve to attack the largest county govern ment in Alabama, which is the county upon which the eyes of the commercial world on both sides of the seas now rest. He has developed the highest executive courage and ability in the act. The thing he has done at his own home will contribute beyond all estimates to the exaltation of his office and to the strengthening of a wholesome public sentiment.
 There are statutes to be read of all men defining the penalties of malfeasance in public office, state county and town. There IS no advantage to the people in confusing their minds with labored and profound Investigations of very direct and simple remedies of rottenness in their public af- faIrS. n