The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1912-01-15


every hour that he is held in con-
, finement. With your officers exerting
every effort, and sthey are, this condi-
} ton cannot be corrected in the pres
ent quarters. 1t permeates the entire
building; have you forgotten the
!. stencil that pervaded the atmosphere
of the district court room while you
were compelled to remain there on
jury duty, or in fancy is it not to this
late day, ever present in your nostrils ?
You have served Latah county as a
juror in the past and in your capacity
or juror, you have had abundant OPP
lportunity to observe many of the
things herein enumerated-an smell
the rest. Personally you know that
when citizens are brought to Moscow
for jury duty, which every good citizen
owes his state and which he will not
shirk, the only place that your coun-
ty can offer for the comfort and use
of said juries while performing duties
| that are arduous, while celebrating
on questions that are of vital i'm
portance to litigants and to the coun-
| ty at large, is Latah county's wood
She'd in reality fourth class wood
shed but we won't be a stickler on
that point. For many years after the
jury system was adopted it was Gus
tomary to lock jurors in a room de-
void of all of the comforts and even
necessaries of life, deprive them of
food, ETC., until such time as they
should arrive at a verdict. In La
tab county today we are following the
system of locking our juries in one
end of the county wood shed often as
long as 40 hours, taking them out only
long enough for meals. Aside from
the barest necessities this room is de- |
void of any furnishings for their COM
fort. Latah one of the most prosper
GUS counties in the United States, is |
thereby fostering a relic of semi bar |
barious times. While it is necessary
that jurors be kept together part of |
they be tortured. Modern court houses
are provided with every convenience
including sleeping quarters in one
room for twelve men, Your own ex-
perience will teach you that the admin
istration of exact justice under the
jury system requires that everything
possible be done for the jury's COM
fort, that these men as a rule are not
accustomed to the close confinement
attendant on jury duty and, being re-
quired to give close attention to eve
ry detail and to pass on the affairs of
their fellow men, every convenience
that will add to the comfort and we'll
being of said jurors Is not only right
from humane standpoint but an alb
solute necessity to the proper admin
istration of justice.
1t is clearly impossible for your
county officials to render that prompt,
correct and efficient service that you
have the right to demand of them, in
quarters that are cramped and devoid
Of modern conveniences.
A levy of five mills on our present
assessed valuation will produce, in
round numbers, 100000, not quite
that much but approximately, which
means that levy of one mill for five
years will produce the amount, or,
our rapidly increasing
levy of one-half mill for
zen years will raise in excess of $780,
200, and interest on that amount.
Moscow's Independent School Dis
riot lately issued bonds in the sum
of $4,000, which bonds were sold at
l premium of $3.50. These bonds bear
interest at the rate of five. per cent
Der annum and are payable in 20 years
With the option of payment at any
line after ten years. The bonds are
more than usually favorable to the dis
riot because they are payable at any
line after the ten years and are not
United to payment at an interest pay
nent date. Besides both principal |
md interest are payable at home in
tead of New York as is customary. We
IAN dispose of court house bonds at
Is good or better advantage for the
eason that at the time the bonds are
ssued Latah county will be practically
m cash basis, having no other
onded or outstanding warrant in
ebtedness. On the other hand, this
chool district is in debt aside from
he last bond issue. 1t is therefore