Counting The Cost

The fullowing article, trota the Jackson Citizen, will interest many of our citizens, doubtless, as it refera to this county quite poiutedly: Ia the report of the senate committee on the lonia liouse of eorreetion somecouiparative figures are given showing the cost of conveying prisoners to that place. For seryices ot stieriffs and cons-tables there was paid out of the treasuiy in 1883 the large smu of $17,770, while in"l884 the nmnunc increased to the alarming suui of $20,682, more than 50 per cent. in one year. Naturally we turn 10 the report for Jackson counly and ñnd that the average cost of conveying each prisoner to lonia was $14.50, wliile from Washtenaw it was $20.45; from Lenawee $27 and from Kalamaioocnmty it was $18. The total expense given for tlie month of December lor tlns puipose is $5,512. 01' this sum Jackson county received $185.25, while Oakland couiuy receiyed $534.75, Kalamazoo $386 and Washtenaw county the a mazing sum of $1,247.95 or one-fourth of the wholc ainount. The recent report of tlie Jackson county board of supervisors bore heavily upou the justices anil offieera liere; but it would be wortli while to have lliein compare our reCord witli that of Washtenaw. Ordinarilv one would suppose that Jackson shouid have ten tiines as many crimináis as Washtenaw, and the expense ought to be in the same proportion, but this report shows that Washtenaw county beats us about seven limes in the matter of grabbing tees from the treasury. Indeed it npiieurs tliat Jackson is the lowest on the list of suiTounding counlies in this matter of tees. It has been charged that Wiishtenaw beat the record in this way. Wherever a stranger out of woik drifted into town a constable iininediately arrested liim as a vagrant, and the justice beforewhotn hejwasbrought suspended sentenoe on him and told hiuito leave town. Befere he could get uut of thecorporation a second constable would arrest him on the second charge of vagrancy and in spite of law, justice or humanity he had to go to lonlii for six nionths. The justice t liis fees, the offioer made eiglit or ten dollars olear proflt and everybody was MlUsñed withtlie deal, except possibly the poor fel low wlio was eo cruel ly wronged. In all the bilis the fliocers charged for foiir hack fares, when in all probability ncither ofBcer or prisoner had any" such luxurioua mode of couveyance. The stille iail for it and tlie ollicer pocketed i i i . ¦ ta extra. The more this matter is prubed the worse it is fouud to be, and the legislature can do no less than sweep the system out of exlstence.