The midland journal., 1917-02-16
county jails are the temporary
domains of the sheriffs.

Those engaged in administering
Federal laws look to no State for
their salaries and are controlled by
no State officers. The national con-
ception is carried out logically.
Those engaged in administering
State laws look some to the State
compensation and more to the sew
eral counties, and are practically
| free from any danger Of rebuke save
that in certain gross instances the
grand or petty jury may be invoked.
The nationwide law is executed in
a nationwide manner. The State
wide law is chopped up by county
lines in its administration. One
method spells justice, certainty and
relative economy. The other spells
injustice, uncertainty and needless
expense.
Would it not seem absurd to us
if the State of Maryland were called
upon to pay the salaries of the
United States judges, marshals and
clerks in the Federal District of
Maryland, all executing Federal
laws? Is it less absurd and unbusi-
nesslike that the counties of Mary
land separately pay for the execution
of State laws within their borders.
The advantages to be drawn from
a change of system, aside from the
better enforcement of justice, would
be numerous. Our poorer counties,
now compelled to carry on a judi
cial system expensive out of all pro-
portion TO their resources, would
receive some relief Very import
ant economies Of administration
could be introduced and carried
through under the direction of the
Governor. Uniformity of, admins
tration as between the different
counties would be attained.
have not referred to the work.
ings of the Orphans Court. This
institution, scarcely known of out
side the State of Maryland,
gives on the average in each
county, at least four absolutely un-
necessary offices. These are pleas
ant to fill and confer an additional
and very material power to the ma
chine which parcels them out. The
duties Of the Register of Wills
should be performed by the Circuit
Clerk. The duties Of Judges of the
Orphans Court when really judicial
should be performed by our Circuit
Judges and when not judicial by the
Circuit Clerks. In the average
county the entire labor now per
formed by three Orphans Court
Judges and the Register of Will7
should occupy part of the time of
single assistant in the Circuit
Clerks Office, and odd moments of
the time of judges. Our wastage in
this one particular in the State of
Maryland will probably amount to
not less than 100000 q year, to
say nothing of the Incidental loss
and injury to the public service.
In making the changes suggested,
we would not be trying any new or
doubtful experiment. In New Jersey
for instance, the only elected officer
of the State is the Governor and he
in turn, I belive am correct in say
ing, appoints the prosecuting officers
throughout the State. In whole or
in part, like system is adopted in
other States, while we have also the
notable instance of the Federal Gov
ernment to fall back upon. Orphans
Courts are practically non existent
in other states, as have said.
We may get some light from
analogies offered us by private cor
porations. Perhaps the most per-
fectly conducted corporation in the
country is the Standard Oil. This
we may admit whether we like or
dislike its morals and general pur-
poses. Let us conceive for a moment
that instead of it's local ATTORNEYS
being named by the general counsel
who is himself directly responsible
to the Board of Directors and of its
state managers named by a general
manager, they were elected by as
semblages of stockholders in the
several states. Instant considera-
ton would show us that the desires
of the corporation as whole could
not be made effective; that the ad-
ministration would Immediately be-
come inefficient and expensive. The
thing which we would condemn in
the Standard Oil Company as foolish
to the last degree, we accept as
entirely proper within the limits OF
the State of Maryland in a corpo-
ration, of which l have before re-
marked. we are all stockholders and
in whose success our very existence
is involved.
The people of this State are suffer
ers from the maladministration Of
the law through our senior courts
and their officials, and they pay
dearly for it in many ways. This
subject deserves special considera-
ton and will receive it in another