The midland journal., 1917-02-16
Series OF Articles By jackson II.
RalSton.
Article VIII

To the Editor Of the Midland
Journal
There used to he a Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court OF the District
OF Columbia who. II his stammerine
way, would say OF one Of his acso-
ciates: "Ee goes round p-p-picking
up -p~pins when there are cr-cr-
crowbars lying l-l-loose." Solemnly
deliberating as to whether a few re-
latively unimportant offices may be
consolidated or some little position
done away with, while ignoring $780,
10000 a year wasted on polling
places in private houses when we
should use our public buildings for
such purposes, and our scheme of
State or county government dsioint-
ed or without efficient head, it is diff
f1cult to avoid the conclusion that we
have been picking up pins and over
locking crowbars. Even when we
adopt a budget system to restrict
legislative abuses we Sc m to forget
the larger vices in administration
because of which we pay an immense
toll
AS l have pointed out, the people
exercise certain control over ma
tional policies by simply electing a
President and members of two
houses of Congress. They largely
lose control over State affairs by
undertaking to elect an immense
number of officers whose duties for
the most part do not particularly
affect public policies.
Let us for moment imagine the
situation changed and consider the
probable result. Suppose our State
method of administration were
adopted by the Federal Government.
We would proceed to elect judges
of whose capacity we knew nothing,
District Attorneys of whom we had
no greater knowledge, Postmasters
in every town with regard to whom
many of us might have knowledge,
but who would be Independent large
ly of control and whose offices
would be made the football of poll
tics, United States Marshals we had
never seen and an Acknowledgement
who might not be in sympathy with
his chief, Secretary of the Treas,
ury who would be at liberty to pur
sue policies divergent from those of
the President, a great number of
other Cabinet officers little known to
the whole people and a Clerk of the
Supreme Court Of the United States
who would probably be ignorant OF
his duties and compelled to rely
upon his subordinates. Economy,
continuity of policy and account
ability to immediate superiors would
be absolutely unknown and natural
ly our assumed democracy would
foreign governments we would be
fatally helpless.
These evils which would seem so
obvious to us in our national gov
ernment exist proportionately in our
State Government. Compare, for
instance. our State judicial system
with our national. The purpose of
the Federal administration of Justice
is to enforce the Federal laws and
to this end the President is the cap
stone of the edifice. Under the
watchful care of the Attorney-Gen-
eral, who himself is accountable
directly to the President, are the
judges sitting impartially between
the United States and individuals,
supervising the prosecution of all
offenses against the nation and the
settlement of all differences under
national laws between man and
man; the District Attorneys, Marsh
ais, Clerks of the Courts and as well
all subordinates looking after jails
and penitentiaries. There is unity,
celerity and control over expendi-
lures. All are paid by the general
government without special charge
to the State. Within our State the
Attorney-General is independent of
the Governor; our Circuit Clerks
are equally independent; our sher-
ifs are without direct restraint and
our system of jails is without CEN
tral direction. The State pays the
Attorney General and the judges;
our States Attorneys are paid by the
counties, our Circuit Clerks and
Sheriffs are county officials, while
one Board controls the House of
Correction and penitentiary. and the