Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1916-07-20


ties and let the sheriff collect take
and abolish the trustees office? lie
one man act as clerk of all the courts
and also record deeds, thus havin:
only two officials where you now have
six, and in the meantime cut dowL
exorbitant fees.
vi.
Criminal Prosecutions Cost Too Much
The costs. OF criminal prosecutions
in Tennessee are probably higher, pro
portionately speaking, than any other
State in the Union. There is no ex
cuse for this.
There should be a provision in the
Constitution similar to the Alabama
law. That is, there should be coun
ty Judge In each county to hold his
court twice each month land oftener
In the larger counties) before whom
all minor misdemeanOr cases should
be brought, upon a simple informa.
ton, in lieu of your present expens.
i've and dilatory system OF indict-
ment by grand jury and a regular
court trial in these trivial cases.
Experience in Alabama shows that
| ninetenths Of these misdemeanor
cases are disposed of by the court
without a jury; but If a jury is called
for then let the court summon six
| men on the spot Judge Higgins es.
Inmates that this change would save
Tennessee 100000 per year. besides
giving ample time to the regular
courts to keep their dockets clear OF
all felony cases, and misdemeanors
of gravity and importance.
The manner in which the State
Treasury Is looted Is illustrated by q
recent January. 1870 bill Of costs
certified from Shelby County to the
Comptroller for payment.
In that case 1t appears a young
man gambled away the money Of his
employers to the amount OF 100000.
For this he was indicted thirty nine
times, when one indictment with sew
eral counts was all that was legally
necessary.
There was never any real trial of
either case, for In thirty-eight of them,
by consent, verdicts Of not guilty
were entered, and in the remaining
case a consent verdict Of guilty was
entered with a short term Of impris
onment. However the young man
was at once given his liberty so that
he might circulate among his friends
and raise the 5000. In the mean.
time the State was called on to foot
cost bill Of $500, of which the sheriff
claimed $797.75 and the clerk $670.60;
Can you beat it?
Legislators Should Be Ineligible To
Hold Offices Created BY
Themselves.
There is a clause in Article 2, Sec
ton 10, of the Constitution, in these
words;
mo senator or representative shall,
during the time for which he was elected,
be eligible to any office or place of trust,
the appointment to which is vested in the
executive or the general assembly, except
to the office OF trustee of a literary in
stitution."
This clause was designed to fore
stall jockeying by members of tho
legislature, resulting in vicious legis
lation and raids upon the treasury
The manifest object of the -provis
ion was to prevent the legAsskture
from creating new offices which they
themselves were to fill. However, a
close reading Of the provision will
show that it only reached and laid a
ban upon such officers as were ap
pointed by the Governor, or Legisla
ture, which are few.
It is known of all men that of late
numberless new offices are created |
by the Legislature, but Of course pow |
er to appoint occupants of these Of
fices lie not given to the Governor or
the Legislature, thus avoiding the pro
visions of the Constitution, On the |
other hand, the power to fill these |
offices Is vested variously in State of.
fices, the County Court, and some
times in city councils. In fact, the |
offices are created upon agreement |
that certain legislators are to be aD |
pointed to fill the same.
The State has thus become honey
combed with legislators filling use.
less offices, and it is said that in one
county at the present time five of itg
have resigned as
members of the Legislature and are
now holding city or county lucrative I
offices which they helped to create,
or legislated with respect thereto
The Constitution should declare |
members of the Legislature ineligible
during their term as legislators, to fill
any office created by them.
A More Efficient System of Public
Education.
Illiteracy in Tennessee, not only
the blacks, but among the
whites, has been a reproach to the
State. 1t is believed by many that
there is lack of unity of thought