The Brandon news., 1911-04-06
IF We ABOLISH EITHER, ABOLISH THE
OFFICE OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY


the trial of all felony before the various mag
strates of the county, also in concealed weapons
and blind tiger cases. Heretofore the interests of
the entirely at the mercy OF the defendant
in as much the defendant always employed his
counsel while the state had no one to look after the
enforcement Of the laws in the justice courts The
legislature thinking that the interests of the state
was as essential that of the defendant, saw fit to
create this Office
At that time and since this act of the legsla-
ture has been severely criticized and condemned by
the people of Mississippi. This office consid-
cred an useless and unnecessary expense to the
taxpayers of the state.
AS the situation is today we have district at
torney for an average of about every four counties,
who is paid salary of $3.50 His duties are to ap-
pear behalf of the state in the circuit court and
prosecute all persons charged with a criminal Of
tense The county attorney is supposed to appear
in all Justice courts, and BESIDES to assist the dis
trct attorney the prosecution OF all cases before
the circuit court The county attorney is usually
familiar with the facts Of the after having ap-
peared in the preliminary trial and is thus able to
render valuable assistance to the grand jury in Grim
ina Investigations and the state a vast ex-
pense in having witnesses brought unnecessarily
before the grand Jury. Heretofore the district at
torney being unfamiliar with the circumstances and
facts of the case have advised the grand jury to
indict in certain cases and the state has gone to
the expense of having special venres summoned and
of retaining large number of witnesses when upon
investigation by the the state has failed to
make out case; the jury is instructed by the court
to return verdict of not guilty Wherein if repre-
sented at the preliminary trial the state would have
been saved between $500 and $1,000 in each muir
der case where special venire is summoned
If we are to abolish either of these offices we
should investigate and see which means to
the county
If you were charged with crime, would you
send outside of your county to employ counsel
who will have occasion to Investigate the facts
of your case until the day of the trial. il there
were within the county counses of equal ability !,
Would you not employ attorney within the coun-
ty who could at any time investigate the facts of
the case and on>the day OF the trial be absolutely
familiar with every phase of law touching the case? !?
Now the interest of Mississippi is the interest OF ev
cry individual and when her laws are enforced it
means greater safety to every man within her bor-
ders. To see that the state is represented in all
criminal trials is to see that the individual citizen
is represented Why then, employ counsel for the
county that you would not employ for yourself? I?
Who is the more able to represent Rankin coun-
ty lawyer from Newton or some other county m
this district or member of Ranlins bar? What is
district or member of Rankin's barr What isl
true of this district is true of every district in
Mississippi By an adequate enforcement OF the law
we deter crime thus creating moral phase IN the
question by having attorney in every county to
see that the law is carried out.
The one crime that is sapping the morality more
than any other is that OF the blind tiger. To check
this one crime means more to Mississippi than any
consideration of dollars and cents. By having IN
every county ready to represent the interests
of the state these lawbreaking vendors OF whisky
will not conduct their business so openly or noto-
riously.
Another crime next in Importance is the carry
ing of concealed weapons. Persons charged with
these oenses are also prosecuted by the county at
torney offenses so deferred from this form of law
lessness A negro full Of this blind tiger whlskey and
with a gun in his pocket is led to commit murder.
By destroying the evil thus eradicate the
criminal effect. By destroying the temptation we re
move the incentive to crime. By vigorous prose
cution of the small crime we lesson the number OF
greater crimes and thus save the state vast out
put of money. The county attorney usually runs
down these small criminals and brings them to jus
tice in the magistrates court saving the state en-
ormous sums OF money which otherwise would have
to be spent in prosecution in the circuit courts
Since the creation of the county attorneys
office the fines in the various counties have IN
creased enormously, far and above the salary Of
the office
If we are to abolish either why not abolish
the one less useful Looking at this question from
business standpoint and laying aside all prejudice
is not the office of county attorney more useful
and more necessary to the people than that of dis
trict attorney? The salary of $3.50 proportioned
between the various counties of the district repres
ened by the district attorney would net each county
5000 This added to the excess fines brought into
the county Golfers by means of prompt and vigor-
Gus enforcement Of the law to say nothing of the
fact of deterring crime would make the county at
torney's office pay very handsome salary to al
competent attorney of each county and at the same
time be business investment to the citizens OF