Message of Governor James S. Hogg to the twenty-fourth legislature of Texas Page: 28 of 48
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28
MESSAGE OF GOVERNOR HOGG.
CRIMINAL CASES.
Years. Number in
No. No. con
No. ac
No. No. disdictments.
trials. victions. quittals. quashed. missed.
1881-1882................ 9,378 4569 2118 2244 228 3095
1883-1884 .............. 8.487 4164 1982 1772 299 3243.
1885-1886................ 11,268 5446 3086 2189 320 4818:
1887-1888............. 11,348 5414 3196 2070 273 4320
1889-1890................ 10,329 5265 2996 1916 216 4947
1891-1892................ 10,667 5039 3227 1602 227 4613By this table it appears that for the two years ending with 1882 therewere
9378 indictments for felonies filed; while for the two years ending
with 1892 there were 10,667 indictments presented, showing an increase
in that period of ten years of only 1289 cases. For the two years ending
with 1882 there were 4569 felony trials, while the trials for the two
years ending with 1892 amounted to 5039; or a difference of only 470a
felony trials for those two years over a corresponding period ten years
before.
It will be noted, therefore, that while the per cent of trials of felonies
has increased at the rate of only about 1 per cent per annum, the expenses
of the government for these prosecutions have increased at therate
of nearly 10 per cent per annum. The disparity shown by thisper
cent of expense over the per cent of increase in criminal prosecutions
presents, without question, a glaring wrong. The question is,
What shall be done about it? The only sensible answer is to apply thepruning
knife of reform. An initial step on this line should be a legislative
measure that will in some way destroy and forever prohibit official
trusts or pools. The custom of county officials having annual conven-.
tions is a growing menace to the public treasury. Sheriffs, district and
county clerks, county and district attorneys, county judges, county as-sessors
and collectors, and even constables and surveyors, have of late
years begun compact organizations that are no more nor less than official
combinations or trusts that have in aim and view the increase of official
fees. These associations are growing so strong that their demands arealmost
irresistible by the representatives of the people. The Legislature
should take some action, aimed directly at their destruction. These
"conventions of officers" appoint what they call "legislative committees,"
charged with the duty of going to the capitol and lobbying
around the Legislature. Sifted to the bottom, with the truth exposed,
there can be no denial of the fact that the leading intention of such committees
is to promote or increase official fee bills. It is a notable fact
that from the beginning of these official annual associations, the expenses
of the government for the prosecution of criminals have alarmingly in
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Hogg, J.S. (James S.). Message of Governor James S. Hogg to the twenty-fourth legislature of Texas, book, 1895; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5862/m1/28/: accessed April 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .