The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-02-03
THE REDIsrRIOrrNG BILL.
Editor THE CHRONICLE.

Editor THE CHRONICLE.
/ have noticed the discussion in our
county papers in regard to redistricting
the county, and want to raise my feeble
voice, as a tax payer, in opposition to the
movement. The county court is court
OF the Constitution and the only court Of
the people, that belongs to the people.
1t is to the county what the legislature
is to the State it bears the same relation.
To restrict it in any way means to curtail
the rights of the people; it means to fur
ther centralize our form of government
and place the management of the affairs
OF our county in the hands of few men |;
it means to make it easier for few men
who would like to control the court (if
there are such p to do so; for by cutting
off the representation as proposed, there
would only be about half the number to
control.
| do not mean by this to convey the
idea that the court can be controlled it
could Motif they understood that kind and
polite suggestions as to what should be
done, as to who should be appointed on
the juries, etc., was intended Tor that pur-
pose.
To redistrict the county as proposed
by the act published in the News, you cut
off about half of the magistrates in the
county, and that, too, in the rural dis
tricts. The magistrates court is the
court Of and for the people. 1t is the
only court where those having rights to
enforce can go and have it done at small
cost.
Under the new plan many would have
to 60 from to Is miles to begin a suit
before the magistrate of his district, and
all parties would then have to go and car
ry their witnesses that far to attend the
trial.
But what is the benefit to be derived
from the law? The only reason for it
that / have heard is that it saves expen-
sesto the county. Who pays this expense ?
1t is certainly the people of the county
the ones thus iconvenienced by the
scheme. How much will be saved by the
scheme? II the bill is enacted as pub
lished, it will be saving TO the county
of the mileage and perdiem of Is magis-
trates this will amount to about 5000, per
year. Prorate this sum among the tax
payers and the sum that each would save
would be so very small that they would
never know there had been saving, but
if they did twould not at all be common
surate with the inconvenience suffered
by the majority of the citizens.
If saving to the "dear people" is
what is wanted why not let's reform all
the way down the line? Why not intro
duce bill abolishing the Finance Com
mittee2 There is as much or more paid
this committee for it's critical" exami-
nations as is paid to these 16 magistrates.
Their labors could be performed just as
ably by our efficient and able County
Judge as by this committee and in half
the time, without one cent of expense to
the county.
Why not save expenses by cutting down
the salary paid the Election Commission
ers; pay them $3.50 per day instead of
$500 or 1920 per day. Why not have
a bill passed abolishing the Board of
and save few hundred in
this way? The people of the county can
do wi thout any of these things better
than without their magistrates, school |
directors and constables. If we are 60
ing to retrench, let's begin on those things
that are less needed.
TAX PAYER.