The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-10-13
Tho Party of Retrenchment and Re-
form,

Under this campaign cry the present
Ring Democracy came into power In
1870. Such cry Is always popular, and
the Ring, In order, to avil themselves of It
made no scruple in representing the gov
ernment Of the State as unnecessarily and
wantonly expensive. And yet no sooner
did the Ring accomplish their object and
succeed 10 power In the State than they
proceeded at once TO make every depart
ment Of the Government more expensive
than It had been under their predecessors.
They, Tor instance, increased the number
Of Judges ot the Supreme Court and
raised their salaries. In like manner they
raised the salaries Of the Circuit Judges.
And in like manner they also increased
the Legislature from 75 to 50 members,
and raised their per diem from $9 to 81.
In this legislative item alone the party Of
retrenchment and reform increased the
expenses Of the State for every days aes,
sion Of the Legislature in the sum OF
$l31.
But this was not all. At an immense
expense TO the tax payers Of West Vir.
ginia they called the Convention that
thus increased these expenses Of the State
Government That ill-omened ConvCn.
tion is estimated TO have cost tho tax
payers Of this Commonwealth the vast
sum Of two hundred and eighty thousand
dollars. And all for what? Mainly, as
1t would now seem, to put large number
Of ambitious men in Office. 1t was for this
object spparentlythat the number Of offices
was increased and the salaries raised
Does the solid, sober second judgment OF
the people OF West Virginia now endorse
the great mistake that was made in 1871
in authorizing that fatal Convention
Most assuredly not. Tho signs Of regret
and dissatisfaction arc too abundant and
palpsble throughout the Stateto be mis-
taken. The oppressive and expensive
County Court system has sickened on the
stomachs ot the people throughout the
length and breadth of the State without
regard to party. To such an extent has
this popular revulsiOn taken place that 1t
is safe to say to-day that II vote could
be taken at this election for or against
the call for Convention it would be
overwhelmingly voted down.
What Is our remedy for this state OF
thingsI Is 1t to call another Constitu-
tionsl Convention 10 undo the mistake
that was made in 1871? We say no.
We want no more Constitutional Conven.
tions for the present, with their expensive
sessions, to be followed by still more ex-
pensive sessions Of the Legislature, and
these again by new and expensive codes.
30 far as we amend the Constitution for
many years to come, lot 1t be done as it
was done under the old Constitution, viz
through the Legislature, with little or no
expense to the people. All that is neces-
ssry to do this is to elect men to the Leg.
islature who are not prejudiced and com.
mitted sgainst such amendments as the
people may need and demand. On occa.
sions like the election to-day select men
who are not bigoted on this subject,
but who are progressive in their princi.
pies and ready to adapt themselves to the
growing wants Of the ago in which they
live, instead Of going back to re.enact the
Bourbonism oI old Virginia, as did the
Convention OF 1879, whose work We now
deplore.