Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-02-09
We Pick Up Small Things And
Overlook Big Things.

Z Ing up p-p-pl0S N0en IneTc are cI-Ct-CfON-
bars lying l-l-loose" Soemnly delibera-
| ting as to whether a few relatively unim-
portant Offices may be consolidated or
some little position done away with. while
ignoring $4,000 year wasted on polling
places in private houses when we should
use our public buildings for such purposes
and our whole scheme of State or county.
! government disjointed or without efficient
head, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion
that We have been picking up pins and
overlooking croWbars. Even when we
have adopted budget system to restrict
legislative abuses We seem to forget the
larger vices in administration, because Of
which We pay an immense toll
As have pointed out. the people exer-
else certain control over national policies
by simply electine President and men,
bers Of two houses Of Congress. They
largely lose control Of State affairs by I'M
! dertaking to elect an immense number of
officers whose duties for the most part do
not particularly affect public policies.
Z
changed and consider the probable result.
Suppose our State method Of administra-
ton was adopted by the Federal Govern
ment. We would proceed to elect judges
of whose capacity we knew nothing. Dis
trict 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 indie
pendent largely Of control and whose Offices
would be made the football Of politics,
United States Marshals we had never seen
and an Attorney General who might not
be in sympathy with his chief, a Secretary
I Q. The Treasury =hS ;soa!a be at liberty to
pursue policies divergent from those of the
President. great number of other Cabi-
net officers little known to the whole peo-
pie and 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, con-
tinuity of policy and accountability to i'm
mediate superiors would be absolutely I'M
known and naturally our assumed democ-
racy would fall to pieces. Face to face
with foreign governments we would be
fatally helpless.
These evils which would seem so obvi-
GUS to US in our national government 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 capstone of the edi-
flee. Under the watchful care of the At
tOrney-General. who himself is accountable
directly to the President. are the judges
sitting impartially between the United
States and individuals, supervising the
prose cution Of all offenses against the ma
ton and the settlement Of all differences
under national laws between man and
man; the District Attorneys. Marshals,
Clerks Of the Courts and as well all sub
ordinates looking after jails and peniten-
tiaries. There are unity celebrity and con-
troll over expenditures. 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 sheriffs are without direct
restraint and our system Of jails is with
out central direction. The State pays the
Attorney-General and the judges; our
States Attorneys are paid by the coun-
ties, our Circuit Clerks and Sheiriffs are
county officials. while one Board controls
the House of Correction and penitentiary,
and the 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 conception is carried out logically.
. Those engaged in administering State laws
look some to the State for compensation
and more to the several counties. and are
J 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 nation
wide manner. The Statewide law is
chopped up by county lines in its admins
tration. One method spells justice. GER
, tainty and relative economy. The other
spells injustice. uncertainty and needless
expense.
Would il not seem absurd TO us II 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 il less absurd and unbusnesslike
that the counties Of Maryland separately
pay for the execution of State laws within
their borders.
The advantages to be drawn from change
of system, aside from the better enforce
ment Of justice. would be numerous. Our
poorer counties. now compelled to carry
on judicial system, expensive out Of all
proportion to their resources. would receive
some relief. Very important economies of
administration could be introduced and
4 carried through under the direction of
the Governor. Uniformity of administra-
tion as between the different counties
would be attained.
have not referred to the workings of
the Orphans Court This institution.
scarcely known of outside the State Of
Maryland, gives on the average in each
county. at least four absolutely unneces-
sary offices. These are pleasant to fill
and confer an additional and very mate
rial power to the machine which parcels
them out. The duties Of the Register Of
Wills should be performed by the Circuit
Clerk. The duties of Judges of the Or
phans' Court when really judicial should
be performed by our Circuit Judges and
when not judicial by the Circuit Clerks.