Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1880-06-01
Spirit Of 5efterson.
GhsrlestoWn, Jefferson County, West Va.
TUESDAY MORNING. JUNE 1, 1880.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

The following article written for the
Wheeling Register gives some views in favor
of the constitutional amendment at our next
election. We give it to our readers that thew
may have the benefit of whatever light il
throws upon the subject of the proposed
change:
4. 1t will decrease our taxes and save
thousands of dollars to the people.
Taxation is beginning to be burden
grlevous to be borne in this country. Our
government costs US too much, and is fast
losing its original purity and simplicity. The
Office. holding class has already increased be.
yond reasonable bounds, and the low on the
people for funds to sustain them in their ri>
otous and luxurious mode of living, when
put into figures, is simply enormous. If the
increase In this respect is as rapid in tho
future as it has been in the past, the masses
will soon be ripe for any other form OF gov
ernment, in hope that it will bring them re.
lief from heavy tribute imposed upon them
by their humble servants Hence apy pro.
posed plan will aid in diminishing tho pub
lie expenditure, will meet with the hearty
appreciation of the people. The proposed
constitutional amendment increases the NUNS
Der OF judges, including the Court of Ap.
peals, from thirteen to eighteen, and will
cause 40 increase in their combined salaries
OF SI,0oo. This is the only increase made
necessary by the amendment, and to effect
this the amendment abolishes four terms of
the county court for trial of causes. These
four terms throughout the State will average
ten days to the term of forty DAYS per anpum
to each county, and there being fifty-four
counties, there will be saved to the State
2, ,l6o days of this court at public expense
for the justices alone, of $40 per day. making
total of s21 500. And for petit Jurors.
allowing twenty to be in attendance each dag
at S 81 per day, (the law allows thirty) the
expense is S63, 800, to which add $50 per
county per jurors mileage, or total of So 700.
and it swells this amount to S66 $50. Thcre
is also, being only three terms of the circuit
court per annum, one grand jury to each
county dispensed with, the expenses of
which cannot be less than $50 per county
or S2.700 to the State
10 recapituiate, the direct saving to the
various levies of the State by reason of the
abolition of the four terms of the county
court will be as follows, toy wit:
Justices per diem. em.......... sci GOO
e''' 1uForS. 66, 500
"f'n' . uforS' ''.''''.'......... 2,700
1O'o' oa'u SSU UUU
Deduct Increase of judges. 1900
Net profit Of And, per annum .... sS3, 600
But as great as this amount appears. much
greater will be the indirect saving to the
people, OF time, money aud barrassing vexa-
ton There will bo only three terms of the
Circuit Court under the amendment as
against six terms of the County and Circuit
Courts as the law now is, and by the in.
crease of the Justices Jurisdiction, this
change will save thirty days of Court, on sn
average to each county, or total to all the
counties, of 2,l60 days. Multiply this NUNS
Der by fifty, the average number of persons
required to be in daily attendance in these
Courts, and it makes one hundred and eight
thousand days of labor lost to the people of
the State. equivalent to at least so many
dollars. No one can estimate the amount Of
money expended by clients and witnesses in
attendance at the sessions, and in taking an
peals from tho erroneous rulings of the
County Court. Nor can the great loss from
vexatlon, occasioned by the delays, blundcrs
and injustice of this primeyal tribunal be re-
duced to figures.