Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1917-02-15

TO the Editor Of the St. Mary's

London less safe'' = an extreme state
ment Of an undonbted truth In govern
ment- Applying II 10 Maryland we
may say that you cannot falsely inn
prison a farm laboror in Charles
County without making life In Balti-
more more dangerous. You can not
refuse justice to the humblest people
in the lowest ranks of society without
imperiling the freedom OF those most
independent III life. We are all en-
gagged in 3 common undertaking in
this state and an injury TO one, to use
the old motto Of the Knights Of Labor,
Is the concern Of all.
It's precisely those members OF our
community most needing rs thought
ful care and protection In the admins
tration Of justice who least receive 1t.
The courts which the poor and ignor-
ant and defenseiess know are largely
those of Justices OF the Peace. Other
officials with whom they come In con-
tact are deputy sheriffs and constables.
We have Ia the counties Of Maryland
a great number OF Justices OF the
Peace, sometimes four TO an election
district, and are we'll equipped with
deputy sheriffs and coustables furnish
ed with titles and with power TO go
forth, as to constahles and deputies,
to make arrests, aud, as 10 the JUS
tees Of OF the Peace. ~ commit TO jail.
with little or no restraint We make
their paw dependent upon the number
Of cases they handle and in an Incl
dental way upon the number OF con.
yictions secured. The sheriff or a
deputy who Is fortunate enough, as he
deems II, 10 conduct a prisoner from a
distant part OF the couriry 10 the
county Jail or to the House Of corrcc-
ton and receive FIVE or ten dollars for
so doing, greatly congrHtulates him
self, and 10 this bepeiicent end he often
stands ready to strain every nerve.
His prime desire many times Is not 20
preserve order, 70 enforce Justice, but
70 secure emopmeni for himself.
How many instances OF abuse have
come 10 the ears of all Of usS How
often have Re heard Of men, Innocent
~ enough tramping the road, legiti-
mately returning home, who have been
arrested as Migrants and hurried 10
The House OF Correction 10 serve for
months, their arrest and conviction
having no better reason for being than
tho few dollars divided between the
Justice Of the Peace and the sheriff or
constableS When some crime has
been committed, how often Il has bssu
the case that without proper grounds
some ignorant man casually colored !,
has been rushed 70 the county scat 10
await an examination which every body
must we'll have known In advance
could only result 10 his discharge,
But the sheriff has been literally paid
for the transportation.
Perhaps in he early history Of The
State, when . trip 70 The capital Of the
county was matter Of days, there
might have been sufficient reason for
the creation OF neighborhood justices
and the poverty Of goycrpmens might
have excused ~ least their coppcpsa.
ton under The ice system. Today
whom she average county seat can be-
reached from almost any part 81 the
county by automobile al least within
an hour or two, where formerly ~
much time sas required TO travel from
The bopndry Of the election district to
The Office OF the Justice Of hc Peace
and when all consideration 81 eeono-
my demand paid officials, there ceases
10 be any reason for The multitude Of
petty Judicial officers we now have.
Baltimore City has recognized lhiu
condition and established minor
courts, the eKistance Of which has
practically taken the enforcement OF
he law out Of the Justices 81 Tie Peace.
L rests with our counties TO have like
steps taken for them. Until they do
his, the administration Of Justice in
i minor way will continue 20 be an eK-
and an ofrense 10 The very
iame Of Justice
The first COST Of tic County oi The
infection ~ wrongful and unnecessary
upon the Individual Is die
smallest cost tho public pays. The
nan who without cause is sent 70 jail
Or the House Of Correction Ends bis
lowered. he no longer
occupies the same position among bis
allows as before. He is the less uso-
Iul citizen Of the community. He has
become an object OF contempt or Ct
east suspicion and as an effective
worker, is reduced 10 value. He has
experienced an intimate association
With men Of the lowest possible grade
He has learned much OF the machinery
II crime, which through close associa-
ion has 70 degree lost It's rcpellcnt
eatures. He has been put on the way
o become an habitnal criminal and
likely TO be arrested again and again,
'yery time with expense and loss 70
he State. All this Is fair result Of
sort of injustice our petty
Judicial system multipIies out OF all
'sason Often II Is tho case that courts
exercising police power, presided over
1y indifferent men, serve 10 build up
schools OF crime tnnch more efficient
han any Fagln ever dreamed Of estab
ishing. We need, therefore, for the
Of minor offenses men of
rrooff.r alrftl thar ,va h apa l,as,,, L., a. =,