Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-07

and the United States. at a certain axe
u. ,odree retire upon their salaries, and
mn. makes them easy Ia mind; Il enables
ihe,o 10 proyide for their families and Sc
r,,res them against poverty In their old
see II osr Judges are sufficiently PAID.
q would give US the most competent
men IN the profession. and the country
yould be relieved OF the apprehension OF
result which Judge Marshall deplorcd
nhcn he declared in the convention Of
80 that 1.-THE greatest curse that an
,ngrv God can iniiict upon a SHINING peo-
rlr Is q corrupt ignorant and incompe-
cent judiciary"
RUN A GREAT RISK.
But I, may be said that you win find
nany who viii take the position at $500
you can without doubt. and II you we're
% reduce 81 TO 500, still you would be
thle 80 nll the Offices. but can you set
competent man ~ these figures? Now
lnd then YOU will find one who Is will
mg to sacrifice himself for his country.
ana give away his time and talent. but
= not this too great a risk 10 undertake
lo M such an Office at 20 low price,
Then would q bc right or polite 10 en-
iaayor % tx The pay Of this important
blace 50 low as 90 exclude poor men IRON
tspiring to hold it2 This surely could not
meet the approval 90 any considerable
humber Of the Legislature. II you want
lhie Judges. whose decisions can be re-
sd on. pay p sufficient salary TO make
lhcm Independent and TO command the
best talent So the state and who viii
b. able 60 devote an their time and
thought 60 the business Of the people.
GOOD PAY AND HETTER SERVICE
What / have said here is not Intended
90 Gisparago the honesty or Gbility 81
Size present judiciary 81 the state; II rs
6esigred as a practical suggestion Tor
the future OF that important department
uf our government. l'y increasing their
salaries you viii adl 10 their efficiency.
because their minds VIII be- at case ana
thetr thoughts more entirely given 30
sbe business Of their offices. they VIII
not Do annoyed and pcplcxed about
support. and they will also be able to
provide themselves with the books neccH-
cary 20 keep informed as 20 tho new De-
-isiops Of the courts and an OF the vary
ING changes az the law. To "a man q
means who IS "a sutton this Is not mat
tcr of so much importance as 1t Is 10 n
poor man because De- has money and can
always employ the best attorneys. who
ran more readily influence "a weak or
hn ignorant judge. or if BE falls. he can
iarry his case to higher court a poor
man cannot afford % do this. and thus
n may De that Dc loses a good case be-
rausc Of thc improper decision which an
Incompetent judge may make. and ne
has no money 90 liucate further. This
should not De SO: justice and wisdom de-
mand that the selection Of every Jud3e
IN the state should be made with care,
qnd their pay should be 50 increased as
81 command the best talent: and such
sum should be- paid FOR their services az
viii make them Independent in their cir
'sumsianccs and enable them 10 give all
q, their time and an Of their thought TO
the responsible duties of their Offices.
lot no cry for "A reduction or salaries
cause YOU 10 neglect this act or Jusuc"
to the bench OF this act OF safety TO the
best Interests Of the people. The poorer
the people become the greater necessity
there Is for an honest and able judiciary.
An increase II the Judges salaries has
been "a subject talked OF for years and
has been delayed because each party
feared that 30 would Doe used 10 their
preiudic. iu the elections. Every man
whose opinion is worth having knows thai
YOU cannot secure the best talent in the
pulpit iu the medical profession. on the
bench. or IN any responsible position IN
lifr unless YOU pay an adequate com
pensati0n for the work required. All
Through the business Of life the best
article win command the best price and
81 the pay is poor the article viii be
alroportionatclv inferior. There IS no
wisdom i'm hiring cheap labor-a cheap
lawyer, doctor. or judge. The state needs
the services Of the best ana ablest men
On tn bench and should be willing 20
lay Tho salary necessary to secure them.
COUNTY ROADS.
The advantages Of good roads can be
Z howu iu 50 many ways that IL seems use
sess % discuss the question. Every intelli- |
gent citizen believes we make no Sacr-
ice when ~ proceed TO build them at
any reasonable cost Experience demon
Ftratcs that If the country is ever TO be
built NJ and the lands made valuable,
HoOd roads must DE constructed. so as To
make them accessible and convenient
VIII the Federal government build them
Tor Us? This Is not probable because II &,
g. an undertaking too great even for the
government 10 attempt, and II Is adding
too much To the immense patronage and !
pOwer which the United states Govern
rnent now has. Then again. there Is no
authority given by the Constitution 10
construct county roads. except for mill
sary purposes. unless YOU place the loose
construction that some of our modern
statesmen do. that whatever Is neces-
Fary" can be done under the general-wel-
fare clause OF the Constitution; but II
cannot bc said that these roads are nee
essary for the United States. although
they may be necessary for the good Of
some Of the counties In this State
Can the State build them? No, because
the State Constitution gives no power 10
the Legislature 10 make expenditures for
shls purpose, and declares that THE state
shall not be a party 10. or become inter |
ssted In any work OF internal improve
ment. nor engage In carrying on any such
work otherwise than in the expenditure
Of grants TO the state, OF land or other
property" (Article y. section Is. Consi-
tuition Of Virginia, Code OF Virginia, page
~
THE COUNTIES MUST BUILD THEM.
The only way possible is for each coun-
~ 10 build It's own roads. and 10 build
them In the way in which they can do
A at the least cost, and they should do
zhls whenever their necessities demand 1t.
Power should be given by the Legislature
TO the counties. with suitable restrictions,
30 that In moment Of excitement they
may not be rushed madly into an eN-
pense which they cannot bear, and thus
embarIass their credit by debt too bur
densOme for the people. Whenever IL If
demonstrated that In those counties made
accessible by good roads purchasers can
be found for real estate and farms on
which the owners are making money by
cultivating crops. because Of the advan-
tages of a cheap. certain and accessible
market. then Will be learned valuable
lesson, which the most obtuse will under
stand and the most incredulous believe.
Our people must lie educated up TO this;
they must be made to see and to feel
that every interest demands that the
county roads be improved. IL this is not
done the county which ignores this fact
will certainly retrograde. and will no
longer be the home OF a thrifty popu-
latiOn, but will Ice left as an abode for
she ignorant ana thriftless.
II your people are not ready for the
move, do not hinder the counties which
nre DO not endeavor TO force counties
b. any general legislation TO tax them
selves 10 undertake great enterprises Of
this kind when they no not desire IL;
Ut them learn by the experience OF those
Who are willing to try 1t. All the coun-
o. do not equally need new system OF
roads; let those which need them most
FIRST commence the work. The rest OF
she State Will. In good time, follow. and
then II will not be long before the remote
places In the country viii be opened
pnd the inaccessible farms become rich
and valuable by the industry and energy