The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1919-07-03
D.BLOODED CITIZEN
DISCUSSES COUNTY ATTORNEY

On next Saturday the voters Of
Claiborne county will decide whether
the office Of County Prosecuting At
torney shall be retained or abolished.
This question places upon our cleo
tors a grave responsibility-a respon-
sibility that we must not consider
lightly. In my judgement, if our vo-
ters abolish the Office, they @ill make
q sad mistake, far reaching IN its
evil consequences.
Who desires to abolish the Office?
To analyze, these people may be sep-
arated into three groups: /. Viola
tors Of the law. 2. Those who do not
violate the law but who regard the
saving Of a few dollars Of greater
importance than the public welfare.
3. Good citizens who honestly believe
that the service rendered by the
County Attorney is not worth the
salary he receives To the first two
groups | have nothing to say. It is
to our good citizens that | address
this appeal.
70 abolish this Office would be poor
economy. Often true bills are found
when the grounds are not sufficient
These cases take the courts time and
the county's money. The county at
torney in advising tho grand jury can
more than save his salary every year
by preventing worthless indictments.
] am Informed by good authority that
such has been the case in this coun-
ty. / believe that either gentleman
now aspiring to the Office Guild, in
this way, save the county more money
than his salary amounts to. II our
tax payers abolish this Office en- the
grounds Of economy, they VIII defeat
tie very object they are trying to
accomplish
But if the office cost twice The pres
ent salary, it would be well worth it.
Law enforcement demands that we
have a county attorney. Without
this Office the advantage is too largely
Nth the defence. Around every court
house is a group of lawyers, ready TO
take all criminal cases. Being on the
scene, they can study the case, gath
er or smother evidence, study and cul-
tivate prospective jurors. On the
other hard, the District Attorney
must prosecute every criminal case
in four counties. With this wide
field to cover, he cannot prepare his
cases well Therefore, the informa-
ton gathered by the county attorney
before court conyenes is Of tremend-
Gus value to the prosecution and is
powerful factor in law enforcement,
It will be sad day when the state
cannot be represented in our Justice
Courts. We shudder to think Of that
condition, when Law breakers are
brought into justice court, when able
lawyers appear for their defence, and
when no voice is lifted for good eiti-
zenship and public safety.
Today when the liquor forces are
making their last desperate stand,
is no time for the forces Of law and
order to lay aside their weapons If
the Office Of County Attorney should
be abolished in Claiborne County,
moonshiners, smuggiers, bootleggers
and booze heads may hold high earn
ival.
This Office pays only $500. Distri-
butte that amount among the tax pay,
ers Of the county, and it amounts to
only a few cents to each person. Let
every father, every lover Of civic
Righteousness, before going to the
polls next Saturday, place this small
cost in one end OF the balanees and
in the other side, let him place the
majesty Of the law and the safety Of
RED-BLOoDED CITIZEN.