The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-02-28
OPEN LETTER TO TAX PAYERS.
Judge Kanouse Whites from Practi-
cal Standpoint.

\ The government Of the United
| States Is said to be as our forefathers
intended. government Of the people,
and for the promotion Of the best
| interests of the people, The sovereign
power is vested in the citizens, to
choose their official representatives to
act in making laws, in the admins
tration Of laws, and the enforcement
of laws. That such choice may be
wisely and safely made, there must
be intelligence on the part of the
people, as to the character and ability
Of candidates. and the public measures
they favor, and will approve.
There is practical test Of the
character, ability, and efficiency Of
public officials, to be found in the
manner in which offioial duties have
been performed. and it is unquestion-
ably right Of the people to become
properly informed on this point.
Public peace and safety require it.
The violation Of law constitutes
a crime crimes are OF different de-
grees, and proper punishment should
be meted out accordingly. Prisons
are necessary and should be so con-
structed and arranged as to ensure
safe keeping and proper punishment j;
and proper punishment should aim
at reformation, as we'll as deprivation
of personal liberty. This is a matter
that is coming to be better understood
in many places where public officials
have become sufficiently awakened
by advanced thought to see the pro-
priety of it. Laws are made to be
enforced. and must be enforced to be
of any value. What then is to be
done to secure proper enforcement?
The first step toward securing reform,
is to secure the existence Of favor
able public opinion, and the next, will
be to give expression to such opinion,
and concentrate its power upon the
use Of the most effective measures,
consistent with humanity, Justice, and
sound public policy.
The object Of this open letter, is
not to point out the various causes
leading to the commission Of crime,
but is more especially to call atten-
tion to the effect of crime upon taxa
tion, and the need of better provisions
for the punishment of offenders. 1t
appears from published reports that
there is particular subject Of inn
portanoe just now, pending considera-
tion in the Board of Freeholders Of
Morris County, which is the building
Of an enlarged county Jail, and to
bond the county for thirty or forty
thousand dollars for such purpose.
According to the published account,
of the opinion Of the legal counsel of
the Board he stated to the members
of the Board, that the county had.
alread- borrowed money very close
to the limit fixed by law and that
county bonds had been il ID ito the
amountA of four hundred Thousand
dollars ($40O, 0O0) and of that sum, one
hundred and thirty three Thousand
dollars ($lS3. 0O0) the several town
ships in the county were liable, and
that there did not appear any way to
obtain money to build new prison
without bonding the county, and that
it was doubtful if the Legislature
would approve such course. .
Indeed it is quite certain, such ap-
proval would not be given. because
it would be unjust to do, so, without
first having obtained the consent of
the majority of the citizens of the
county at meeting called for such
purpose. Thus the Board of Freehold
ers have found themselves in a dilem-
ma, and now the question to be
solved is, what is to be done? The
citizens have to be taxed, and must
pay the bills, and therefore ought to
have something to say. But to be able
to arrive at just conclusions, they need
full information as to the situation of
hl1hlIo 4Ibby ~ q low uAA ANl SOA pr
son necessary. If it is. then how
larger Where is it to be located?
What will be the cost? How will it
be paid for? And when erected, will
it be put to any better use than the
present prison?
Morris County has tried enforced
idleness upon the inmates of its pri-
son. long enough to be able to form a
pretty clear opinion Of it's cost, and
it's moral effect, and whether il is adj
visable to continue it. Facts touching
the operation of existing laws pertain
ing to disorderly persons, the working
of system pursued by the county for
years present to the people one aspect
for their serious consideration viz
a prison oyercrowded with a class of
able bodied, lazy yagrants, who should
be earning their own support, but
who, under the circumstances are
compelling the honest people Of the
county to support them in idleness-
Viewed in another aspect, the present
state of the prison is embarrassing tc
the administration of justice, because
in the absence OF a rigid system Q,
discipline, where a crowd Of offenders
of all grades, allowed to meet daily,