Norwich bulletin., 1917-01-09

which is paid by the state and the amount of these salaries is of interest to the public.
 Under the law which gave the sheriff a salary, it was provided that he should receive no fees except for the service of legal papers and as a conse- quence he practically never sits in court as an officers of the court, but allows his deputies to act, as they can receive fees from the state. Under the laws of Connecticut, the office of mental and least needed office in the state. A search of the statutes will reveal practically no duties which this official is obliged to perform in return for the $6,o00 ahd living expenses which he receives from the state and county.
 County Homes.
 In 1SS3 provision was made for the establishment of homes in each of the counties for the care of dependent and neglected children and under this law each town paid a definite amount for the children sent from its town and the county paid the balance of the cost of maintaining the homes. These homes are under the management of a board consisting or the three county Sate Board of Charities and one mem Der of the board of health.
 Should the County System be Diseon-
 tinued?
 Connecticut is small state in trri- tory and from the organization of the colony it was built~around the towns which have always been the unit in the finances of the state. As has been shown in the historical development of the county system, the county was organized purely for court purposes and for providing convenient court houses and gaols in centers of popula tion which were then isolated.
 TIA a11-1xy o5fa1 1o1i ieI, ,nI entirely for the county and all the fin- ances of these courts were managed by the county, under the laws of the colony. The county received the fines paid the fees of the judges and all the expenses of running the courts and the costs of the gaols. Upon this has grown up many excreScenceS which has become to be known as the 'coun- ty systm'. Can it be improved or should it be entirely hanged?
 The county system as at present or ganized is irresponsive and irre- sponsible and it's Tsork could be much better performed by other existing or houses, as we have seen, are ancient county buildings, but when the county was first compelled to build them all income and expense on their account was provided for by the county. but for many years the state has taken over all that income and expense and today we have no county courts.
 All the judges and clerks are state specific amount for the board of all prisoners, and certainly in the work of the courts and the jails, county lines should be disregarded and the courts and the jails located in those parts of the state which are convenient for the people.
 Court houses should be built and maintained by the state and located In 'centers which are convenient for the population. If it is best to carry the town and not the county should build the court houses, but as the state finances the courts, it should provide the houses in which the state court sit, the town to provide court rooms and pay the expenses of their town and city court. Why should Meriden, Waterbury, Guilford, or any other town distant from New Haven New Haven. or why should New EIa- ven pay practically half the cost of building a court house in Waterbury? In the case of the jails, the same argu- ments apply, but there are other and stronger reasons for the jails being owned by and under the management of the state. If there is any public Institution that should be under the di- rection of a permanent and expert of fcial, it is the jail, and yet this insti-
 
 If who is nominated by a political party because he is popular in the county and good vote getter and he appoints the jailers who are invario ply political workers and without the least experience or interest in conducting a jail upon modern principles of pen oIogy.
 The directors of our state prisons and reformatories select superintend- ents on account of their knowledge and experience in the management of these institutions, and they go to any part of the country to find men of ex- perience for these positions, while the f control of our jails, which are of the | greatest importance to us locally. is given over to men who have political l power. If the jails were owned and | by the state, they could be l located where it would serve the best | interest of the state and the prisoner, | md with the purpose of reforming | those who are committed. Many of the men and women who are sent to ! our jails are made habitual petty criminals because of our present treat l nent of them All the jaails should be octed without regard to county lines, l where they would be most convenient l 10 the courts and in places where the l heir families and encouraged to come | put with better ideals Of citizenship. |
 Why should the state pay over to | Tn irresponsible agent money for the 1 or the county JallS. IT LII jails were under one management 1 t might be best and certainly should i De possible to send prisoners to that l particular jail which would be best 1 or them and best for the state. It is true that it would be | better for the morals of many pris | ,ners to be on farm and given out 1 1oor work, and it would certainly be 1 nore profitable for the community | han the few cents which is received ] rom the work of the prisoner in the l present city jails, and with state insti- 7, this could be easily accum- |; 1lished. :!
 All of these arguments apply to the county home and the management of | hese homes could easily be transfer | ed to the state.
 The only remaining suject is the | question of the issuing of licenses for 1 he sale of spirituous and intoxicating | iquors and in this case no argument |