The leader., 1902-05-07

/ don't take any more solemn oath
than you do. | am no more responsi.
ble, except for a longer time, for the
peace of the county than you are; not
so much, because you take the initia.
tive.
PUBLIC ROADS.
| want you to look into the subject
of the public roads. / believe in this
county you work them on the contract
plan, and, by the way, think that is a
good idea. | find that it works we'll
all over the district. You have better
roads. There is no greater index to
the people than that of the public
roads. You find country where there
is nothing but COW paths In it, and
where you cannot drive four wheeled
vehicle without breaking it down, and
you will find country that Is very
little civilized. As l say, your country
is prosperous, for people from other
counties and other States are coming
here for investment.
| want you to see to it that your
roads are kept in good condition.
| know it is hard to indict road
overseer, and l don't want them in
dicted unless they have openly violated
the law without good excuse.
l want you, gentlemen, to look into
the running of all of the other offices of
the county. You are the final overseer
of all the other officers of Lincoln
county. | want you to see that these
officers do their duty. No man, you
know, is compelled to hold office.
Judging from the interest developed at
every campaign they get something
out of them. Now when you elect a
man you put him on his honor; you
put him on his OATH and he is ex-
pected to deal fairly with the people
of the county. | want you to see to
it that every man that handles public
funds brings up every dollar and puts
| it in the county treasury.
You take our justices of the peace
and you will find some that will bring
up good deal of money, and others
doing apparently as much business,
bring up hardly anything at all The
law requires them to make reports
twice year and put in the county
treasury whatever they have collected.
| don't know that any are delinquent
in this regard, but when a man is not
entirely honest, you can make him a
pretty good counterfeit of honesty by
looking into his acts. | want you to
look into this matter and wherever you
find any man is delinquent, present
| him.
You will be expected to look into the
county poor house and see that the
inmates are humanely treated.
We have the poor always with US
the unfortunate who are unable to
| take care of themselves. 1t is one of
the evidences of our civilization that
we are expected to treat them properly
when they are thrown on our care.
| want you, gentlemen, to examine
into the working of the county farm
| believe you have farm in this
county; and see that the inmates there
in are properly treated not that they
are to be fed on pound cake and straw
berries and cream all the time. They
are not expected to be treated as par
lor boarders, but see that they are
humanely treated, because it reflects
on each one of us if we allow them to
be inhumanely treated without it being
investigated.
Look into the books of all of the
officers. | say you are the ones the
people have reposed their confidence
in as much as if you were selected by
ballot; you are the ones they have Sc
| lected as their agents to supervise
these matters for them.
| Now then, gentlemen, in your report
just speak out like men. Remember
you are representing a high-toned,
honorable people, and they are expect
ing this of you. Don't cover up any
thing. Wherever you find anything to
commend, saySo. | believe it is better
to give the people the roses while they
live than wait until they are dead
| If you find anything that is not to be
commended, don't hesitate to say SO.
Now there are great many smaller
ofenses, gentlemen, such as petit mis-
demeanors that can be tried just as
we'll before the justice of the peace
as they can before this court, and the
| law recognizes the expense to the
county, the large expense from trying
these small cases, because fellow will
come up here with a petit misde-
meanor and you will find half of the
neighborhood summoned as witnesses,
and all of them receive pay from the
county. They don't do that in the
justice court. | say in cases of that
kind, simple petit misdemeanors, re-
| fer them to the nearest magistrate,
where the offense was committed.
They are entitled to the costs they
get out of these things, and they can
attend to them less extensively and
more expeditiously than this court.
Now, gentlemen, | believe from the
personnel of this jury that you are
going to do your duty, and by your
action will the prosperity of your
county be increased. | am reminded
by the oath of the bailiff that you have
also taken an oath to keep secret what
occurs in the grand jury room 1t is
absolutely necessary for the proper
vindication of the law that a great
many things should be kept secret.
Don't let anybody know what you
have done or are doing, | shall now
discharge you for your deliberations.
T. E. Applewhite was appointed
foreman and Thos. II. Lewis bailiff.
The court will be engaged all this
week on the civil docket. The State
docket will be taken up next Monday.