Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-10-09
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

law tnaC IL cannot DE eXpedlently
postponed muchlonger. Our present
Constitution has served its purpose
for more than sixteen years, and the
changed condition of things which
mark those sixteen years calls loudly
for changes, amendments, and revis-
ions of our organic law. We publish
in another column today the synopsis
Of a speech upon thissubject made by
Col. John HI. Savage, at Sparta, in
1882. The speech will furnish much
food for thought upon the matter al
though not discussing or proposing
all the changes which are necessary.
All three of the departments of our
powers of government, the legisla-
tive, executive, and judicial, need
reorganization, and the systems I'M
der which they are operated require
amendment and revision. We agree
with Col. Savage, that the officials
holding at the time of adoption and
ratification of a new constitution
should not be disturbed in their terms
of office thereby, but that they should
be governed by the provisions of the
new constitution in the administra-
ton of their respective offices.
The frequency of our State elections
is a matter for serious consideration.
1t is held by perhaps majority of
the people of the State that once in
four years is often enough to elect
State officers and the General Assem-
bly,, and that quadrennial sessions of
the General Assembly would be pref
cradle toour present biennial sessions.
The executive departments of gov
eminent now hardly have time to
become familiar with the acts of one
session of the Legislature before an
other session repeats exchanges them.
Again, the compensation allowed
members of the General Assembly
isn't sufficient to secure, generally,
suitable and efficient men for Legis-
lators. A point has been reached
where little or no honor attaches to a
seat in the Tennessee Legislature,
This, in a great measure, is due to the
fact of the compensation being SC
light that men qualified to fill the pc.
sition with honor cannot be induced
to accept it, consequently our Legis.
latures of late years have been largely
made up of scalawags and cross roads
politicians whose services are on 6
par with the compensation of the pc
sition. 1t is rare thing now that {
good man can beinduced to go to the
Tennessee Legislature unless he ha.
some other end in view to help com
pensate him for his time. The tim,
and talents of any man competent tt
make an acceptable member of TIL,
Legislature have money valu
greater than the pitiful sum allowed
, by our constitution as remuneration
i for the service. With quadrennia
session of the General Assembly, an,
reduction of the number of mem
| bers composing that body if necessa
ry, the running expenses of the Stat
government could be so reduced as t
: allow better compensation to mem
bers without increasing the aggregat
+ expense above what it is at present
I thus more competent men could b
# secured than now compose our Legis
l. latures, and ouraffairs of State woul
be more efficiently administered.
In our county governmental affair
" there is room for radical improve
= ment. We have more county officer
y than are necessary in many countie
70 and our County Court system, til
D most burdensome and bunglesom
incubus that was ever saddled upon
n State, should be abolished, and tn;
e. quickly. The idea of a great III
Ell weildy court of from twenty to fit
<. men being required to transact II
v public business of one little county
s. an absurdity of gigantic proportion
From three to seven commissions
y in each county could more prompt,
III satisfactorily, efficiently and econon
5 ically transact the business of ar
y county in the State. The magistrat
H. could very well be retained as pea
~ officers, but for the sake of ecOnon
and expedition of public bushes
L. abolish the farcicalmonstrosity know
n, as the County Court. Possibly til
in may come more within the jurisdi
al ton of the Legislature than of a co
us stitutional convention, but wherev
is the remedy lies it should be apple
of without further delay.
That the necessity for a Constit