The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-02-03
Ratrenchment and Reform.

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The Democrats miSapprehcnd the temper
and wish Of the people if they suppose that
they are in favor of low-pricc public servants.
1t is not the quantity OF che pay but the quail
ty of the paid that tisey complain Of Retrcnch-
mont and Refor1m that reduce the salaries Of
public officers to nero pittancc With which
they Cannot support themselves dccently, and
which preclude men OF character and intellect,
is not precisely the reform they want. What
tleS wish 10 see inaugurated is practice of
devotion to duty, common sense in the dis
charge OF it. and proper appreciation of the
obligations of official trust. They witness with
intense dissatisfaction the protracted discussions
in the Legislature and in Congress on ques-
tions Of very little public interest, and which
are not worth the time and money expended OH
them. The Legislature in Virginia has nov
been in session sixty days,st an expense to the
people of the State of about $4,000, and sub
stantialay nothing has been done affecting the
interests OF the people. That body ought to be
ready to adjourn now. There has been no
conceivable necessity for longer session than
sixty days. All the business that it is important
to transact, or indeed that will be transacted,
should have been completed by this time. No
reason, founded in justice and right, can be as
signed why the members of that body should
not now be at their homes, and the people re-
lievcd OF the expense of the Legislature. But
Instead Of this. we can plainly see that sixty
days more will be consumcd-the utmost limit
OF the law-at an expense of $4,000 more
All the reform that has been effected was the
looping off of one Insignificant Office of door,
keeper. Nothing else has been accomplished
to lessen the burden of the people. This is Il
poor exhibit against session of one hundred and
twenty days, at a cost of 100000 or probably
5000, 900, when thirty days and cost of $40, 900
could have consummated as much as will be done
in the 120 days. For the Conservative party of
Virginia even to mention retrenchmcnt and
reform. with this record to verify their profes
sions, is an insult to the intelligence of the
people. They can place the State and the
people OF the State in a false and humiliating
position by refusing to appropriate $4,000 to
advertise the wonderful and unequallcd ma
tural wealth Of the Commonwealth, to the
assembled representatives of the civilized
world, but they cannot forego the exercise Of
power unfortunately conferred by the Consti-
tuition, Of taking froth the pockets of the people
$1,000 for their own benefit and without an
equivalent.
We repeat, this is not the kind of retrcnch-
ment and reform the people are asking fort
is not the kind they are going to be satisfied
with. 1t is a substantial fraud upon them
there is not clear-headed member of the leg
stature who can deny it. 1t is a shame that
men calling themselves Virginians, entrusted
by their oppressed and impoverished censtitu-
ents with authority to legislate for the com
mon benefit, should SO outrageously abuse the
authority given them.
The people have public debt of $4,000. 600
staring them in the face-tley have their pri-
yate and county and corporation obligations
pressing upon tlem-thcy cannot make pro-
visions to meet them-the interest ON the
public debt is annually defaulted to the amount
OF half million dolars-yet this Conservative
legislature, sent to Richmond by the Conscr-
vative party, is dlsspating the hard earnings
OF the people in worse than useless debate
protractng the session aud drawing the last
dollar that can possibly be squeezed out of the
public treasury.
Aud yet this is the party of Retrenchment
and Reform-tle party that asks to be entrl,s-
ted with the affairs of the nation, solely upon
the plea of their economical ard honest pur-
poses!
The truth is, the entrusted servants of the
people do not have thought for the real in
terests of those who delegated them their
power. They treat with insufferable indiffer-
ence the rights of persons and property, aud
rush along heedlessly and recklcssly in con-
Stunning time at great expense without having
any matured purpose to rctrench or REFORM
There never was greater deception practiced
upon confiding people, or grievous wrongs
perpctrated that had so little to palliate them.
And yet the people will be deluded by the
cry of Retranchmcnt and Reform, and follow
the lead of those who are consll.nmating their
virtual destruction.
Last year provision was Struggled through
Congress for the special benefit of the express
companies, increasing the postage on what is
denominated ''third-class matter'' from one
cent per two ounces to one cent per ounce.
This was done by means of an artful amend
ment inserted at the last moment in the Sun
dry CIVIL Appropriation bill, and there was no
doubt whatever that Adams Express Com
pany was the one which had chiefly been en-
gagged in securing this bit of Legislative hocus-