The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-26

applied. yet it is evident that some
thing more is necessary to completely
| change the present system, and this
remedy is a change in the constitution
of the state, which will make our
justices salaried officers, instead of
leaving them, as at present, dependent
upon fees. We realize fully the ne
cessity for courts in which the smaller
cases may be tried, but we are firmly
| convinced that the present system of
justice courts should be totally chang
ed, as far as 1t affects the city of
Savannah. The system seems to be
adequate in the country districts and
the evils prevailing in the city do not
seem to exist to such an extent as to
make change advisable, except with
in the city limits.
We are reliably informed that two
justice courts in the city of Savan-
nah in place of the eight courts now
existing would be ample to transact
all business which should be legiti-
mately, brought before them, and we
believe this to be the fact. We there
fore strongly recommend as follows:
First. That as the present grand
jury has declined to recommend any
person to fill any of these offices that
all succeeding grand juries follow the
same course and in this way finally
abolish the courts of the four justices
of the peace in the city of Savannah,
who now act by the recommendation
of the grand jury. This would leave
four justices in the city, which is more
than ample.
Second. We earnestly recommend to
Your honor that YOU consider this
remedy carefully and If it meets with
your approval that you adopt it by
declining to make any appointments
to fill these offices.
Third. We urge the honorable COM
missioners of Chatham county to in
vestigate the question of reducing the
number of militia districts In the city
of Savannah to two, as If this and the
foregoing recommendations are adopt
ed, there will then only be two JUS
tees of the peace in the city of Sa-
vannah who will have ample business
to maintain them, but who will not
be pressed by the necessity of obtain
ing a living to encourage litigation
SO that they may profit by the fees
arising from it.
Fourth. We recommend that every
grand juror and that every voter OF
Chatham county unite in the creation
of public sentiment which will de-
mand a change in the constitution
of the state and will cause proper
courts to be formed for the trial Of
petty cases, the judges of which shall
| be paid by a salary to be fixed by the
County Commissioners, while the fees
| collected in these courts should ac-
crue to the benefit of the county and
| in this way the costs would be fully
met.
Fifth. We believe that the judges
of these two courts should be appoint
ed by the Governor of the state, II
| the same manner as the judge Of the
City Court is now appointed.
A letter has been received by us
| from the foreman of the grand jury
of Fulton county. Georgia, urging u:
to join in some action to rectify the
existing evils. A reading of the pre-
sentiments of the last grand jury o.
Fulton county shows that the evils
complained of are even worse in tha
county than in the county of Chat
ham, and we believe that every city
in Georgia should and would join IL
securing the proposed amendment X
the constitution.
Pensions.
Our Committee on Pensions reports
that there are So pensioners on the lis
| at present who draw an aggregate o
5.755 per annum All of these pensions
with the exception of two, have beer
paid for the present year and the Or
binary has checks for these two to b.
! delivered whenever they are called for
The committee could not Investigate
as fully as was their desire, as the pen
sion records are in the hands Of tn
Commissioner of Pensions in Atlanta
and are only sent to this county one
a year. We are informed that they viii
be here in time for investigation by tn
next grand jury.
Public Buildings.
The special committee appointed OF
this subject have investigated all coun
l'ty buildings with the exception of TIL
public school buildings, which were in
spected by the School Committee.
The Court House and Jail were fount
to be i'm good order and well locke,
after by the officers in charge. Their
are now 144 prisoners confined in tn