Amador ledger., 1903-11-20
GRAND JURY REPORT.

The report of the grand jury which
appears elsewhere in this issue, is
the most sensible and business like
document that has been presen ted
by grand jury in this county for
many years. We are free to say
that the body that met last week ap-
peared to be actuated by a deter
mination to do something of prac-
tical nature, and they have accom-
plished that purpose. The report is
short; but it is to the point The
topics treated upon are few, but not
one suggestion however is out of
place, while several are of vital i'm
portance to the welfare of the coun-
ty. We note in this report an en-
tire absence of that fulsome adula-
tion which had become almost ster-
eotyped in such reports. The jury
was no doubt hampered by lack of
time. Called together on Friday,
and with an objection to adjourning
over Sunday, it was deemed advis-.
able to get through with their labor
Saturday night, and they did so,
having an evening session for that
purpose. Had it not been for this
pressure of ime-limit, the disposi-
tion of the jury would have probably
been to probe county affairs more
minutely. AS it is, they have I'M
questionably made good beginning
in the direction of reform By all
odds, the most important suggestion
made by the report is the recon-
mendation that persons doing work
for the county upon the roads, swear
to their own claims, and have them
allowed in their own names. The
system of proxy affidavits, the lump
ing of twenty or thirty different
claims in the name of the road COM
missioner, who alone figures in the
minutes as the claimant, has been
fought by the Ledger for years. 1t
is not sanctioned by law, it's ten
dency is vicious and utterly opposed
to public interests. We have no
hesitation in saying that if the result
of the grand jury meeting is the
abolition of this abomination-and
it will most assuredly end that way
it will have brought about the most
desirable reform that has been ac-
complished in Amador county for
the past twenty years.
The only argument that has been
trotted forward in behalf of the dis
credited system is that it effects a
saving in the matter of record books.
If road bills are to be presented by
the parties actually performing the
work, and separately entered in the
minutes, it is argued the space in
the court house will rapidly fill up
with record books. Besides, this
Jumping of the bills by the super
visor in each district saves con-
siderable clerical labor in entering
up the minutes. 1t is easier to
record one bill presented by super
visor, than twenty or more bills pre-
sented by as many different workers
on the road. This reasoning is
specious, and altogether unsound.
If it is good in road matters, it
ought to be- good in other depart
ments. Why not the superintendent
of the hospital lump ali the bills
against the hospital fund, and draw
the money, and pay the same to the
different parties entitled thereto.
That would be just as legal as the
adoption of the system in road mat
ters. Why not the district attorney
or the clerk undertake to consolidate
all the claims against the current
expense fund in the same way. The
plan would save clerical work, and
also economic in record space and
stationery. If it is in order to keep
the taxpayers in the dark as to the
identity of claimants against the
road funds, it is equally proper to
conceal the personality of the claim
ants against other funds. The fact
is the method is wrong; it is con-
trary to law, it is demoralizing in
its tendency, and no greater service
was ever rendered by grand jury
than the recommendation by that
body that it be discontinued.