Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-07
The Rxfye Ssssi0n and Its Importance.
III M> E,fStor OF NJ Uts1l1trL:


The Legislature Of the State will assem-
hle III Richmond on tho 18th OF August.
IL il given out that "thc session will DC a
short one" The election OF a Judge and
the correction OF law-the reapportion-
mont bill-i we credit common rumor.
will be the chief, il not the only, work OF
our SolonS. These two matters can be got
through in three days.
The law allows each member OF the Cen
eTaI Assembly for sn extra session, even il
1t last only two minutes, one hundred and
eighty dollars. IL our senators and DELI
gttes sit ten days their pay will average
eighteen dollars day. II they continue
in session twenty days, it will equal nine
dollars = DAY. The body rarely occupies
more tbaB three hours excn day, and so
they would draw three dollars an hour, il
they should st'y in Richmond twenty days.
wish wheat st ninety cents a bushel the
farmer would gTllmLle st three dollars al
hour for 81 Acts % Ma General Assembly"
lis plain as n mans nose on his face th,t
short session and 4 salsry-grab il polti-
c,d suicide. The Legislature NUT earn the
$3.50.
There were several important measures
last session left to die for want oi time.
There were bills passed which, by " clerical
CTrOrs,' are doing more harm than good.
10 name but one: The General Assembly
passed bill TO purchase monthly one hun
dTed thousand Rlddleberger State bonds,
with ,InIustured coupons. Between tho
legislative halls aud the GOv,rnor's INK
stand The pivotal word VnMatarAi wa,
changed to ratsred. and thereby revers vi
the purpose Of the Lawmakers. II the
strange altering Of tbs Eey-word hsd killed
the bill theTs might NOS have been much
Laim, but the bill Is alive and working
lust in the opposite direction intended by
thc men who voted for 10.
The Legislature wished the bonds with
UNINSURED coupons bought, because that
would appreciate class OF securities held
1T home by hduelirles and Virginia people,
aud 90 keep the money paid out for them
here In circulation among us. The bill,
however, by clumsiness or otherwise, after
1t Was passed called for tho purchase OF
tond> not held as rule in the State. What
hss been the effect Of this "error", The
bond held ~ our home folks has been run
down in value. And worse, every month
100000 Of our taxes, instead # re-
naming in the state TO do the
Tax. payer some good and prevent tightness
III HAAAAiS. AbV -bfN OiNVuu Oul
confines to buy bonds held elsewhere--a
class Of securities ths Legislature never in
tCEded 10 buy. The money had better re-
main in our home banks, and so get into
circulation. Now we are d-ained 10 the
tune Of 100000 = month. Two million
and = half OF our taxes our circulating
ncdium-vlll have gone out Of Virginia
tc!ors another regular session unless the
present altered law Is made 10 read like il
was enactCd.
A wayfaring man, though fool, can see
that Virginia, in her depressed condition,
cart stand such a squeezing as two and
hall millions Of currency sent abroad, never
10 return.
do not care 10 ssk the Legislature
whether the AItorney-Generars action in
oonfessing judgment in the coupon suits
needs attention, nor dozen other delin-
queucies. The body that gathers in the
Capitol In August must see that the Com
monwcslth receives no detriment by their
neglect Of duty or little work and big pay.
A DIBT-PAYiNG DExocaAr.