The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-07-03
From the Moorefleld Advertiser.
The Constitutional Convention.

We note from our exchanges that the
people of West Virginia are waking
up with earnest interest in the advocacy
and support Of Convention to re
model the organic law of the State
This fact excites no surprise on our
part, as we have always been satisfied
that the present Constitution is not
such as will best secure the rights Of our
citizens and promote the prosperity Of
our people.
The most specious objection urged
against a Convention, and the one on
which its opponents chiefly rely, is,
that it will burden our people with an
additional load of taxation, when they
can with difficulty meet their present
liabilities; and to give force to this OBJ.
lection, Ex-Governor Stevenson figured
up as the costs of such Convention and
its resultants, the modest sum OF $685.
1927 by a newly discovered process
peculiar and original with his late ex-
cellency, and for which he merits a
patent from his friends at Washington.
The Hon. Henry g. Davis, chairman
of the State Finance committee, in his
report at the last session of our Legis
lature, exhibits most conclusively the
fallacy, and We may say, the fraud of
this gubernatorial expose, which, near
the close Of his official career. Governor
Stevenson threw as a Parthian arrow
into the ranks Of his political victors.
By close and simple statement, Mr..
Davis shows that the legitimate costs Of
said Convention will not exceed So, 500,
exhibiting the small difference OF $685.
1927 in their relative estimates.
Our friend Davis has some character as
a financier, and we invite our readers
to a careful examination Of their re-
spective calculations.
As pertinent to this subject we refer
to a single fact as connected with coun.
ty and township expenditures under our
present Constitution and that OF 1860.
In Kanawha county, in 1860, the coun-
ty levy was S4,7S9.33; in 1870, ST.
1886; showing difference OF $52,-
567 %, an amount more than sufficient
to meet all the costs Of a Convention.
This enhanced expenditure applies to
each county of the State, to a greater
or less extent, and our readers can an
swer for themselves whether they are
cognizant of any special benefits which
they derive therefrom. Can any OF
them say that they have better schools?
Our observation is that they are worse.
Are the roads improved? We do not
observe it. Are the poor better cared
lori No. We also refer to the i'm
mense cost OF our judiciary system. In
our county it is perfectly manifest that
the costs now incurred in the prosecu.
ton Of suits in court are far greater
than in olden times, and we note that
at a recent term Of the Circuit Court of
Monongalia county, held by Judge
Ollie, who is certainly among the most
efficient of our Judges, the expenses
of the court were $3.50, and not
single jury trial. The taxable property
of the State in 1870 was about one hun
dred and thirty millions of dollars, and
three cents on the 800 would pay the
entire cost Of the Convention.
We call on our fellow citizens to
consider and determine whether they
will be deferred from voting for a Con-
vention BY the heavy tax Of three cents
on each one hundred dollars of their
taxable property for one year, when
thereby they will have permanent relief
to far greater extent. These matters