Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-08
FRIDAY ....... DECEMBER 8, 1895.
INC Governor and DC Eleetion Law


The Dispatch. We believe. was the only
sicwspsper TO print Governor MeKinney's
message without abbreviaiion in any par
ticular All Of our contemporaries found
q too bulky for their columns. We should
lave liked It better had It been shorter.
but we feel sure that II was worth 10
our readers all the space given It.
1t must be remembered that It has
been two years since the General As
ycmbly met. and that in this one mes
sage D. comprised the matter that undor
ordinary circumstances would have been
embraced in two annual messages.
without exception. so far as we have
observed. the press comments on the
message are favorable. The Index-Appeal,
however. regrets that the Governor had
nothing 70 say in his message as TO the
Anderson Mccormick election law, and
would have been gratihed had 1t con
iainoI a recommendation OF the vlva-voce
system of voting. The IndeX-Appeal
knows that 20 return to that system
We must first amend the State Constitu-
ton. and this cannot be done without
The approval Of two General Assemblies
Or calling "a constitutional convention.
We are Of the opinion that snch a con
v,nuon should be called before long, and
th,n the whole question Of suffrage may
D.. considered in the light OF our eXpe-
lience since the convention Of 1861
In the absence Of any evidence to show
that the Andcrson-AIcCormick law ia the
outrageous thing that it's enemies allege
IL would have been very strange indeed
had Governor Mckinney undertaken to
condemn g.
The Governors message we believe.
does not specifically point out the need
Tor reform In the administration OF crimi-
mai justice iu this state, but the subject
of criminal expenses. which is deliberately
dealt with. necessarily brings up the
whole question. So does the proposition
Of the Governor To increase the pay OF
circuit judges. We like his recommends
ton that the election Of circuit judges
Of the State be deferred until this salary
question ~ considered and acted upon.
And II these elections are 90 be post.
poued for this reason. 50 should the
nominations.
IL we know anything at all about our
people. 1t is that they are dead in earnest
as 10 securing surer. prompter. and
cheaper administration of criminal justice
in Virginia. II their wishes in this re-
spect be complied with. no member Of
either house need feel any hesitation in
voting for such an Increase as the Gov
enor recommends especially If better
pay will secure us better judges.
Year after year the people make
mighty cutlery against excessive criminal
charges without securing the needed
legislation In the one item of sending
prisoners from county and city jals TO
the penitentary thousands Of dollars might
be saved annually. The loosoness In our
present system is well known and not
denied but powerful influences block the
way Of reform legislation. The Superin-
tendent OF the Penitentary could do
The work for one half the present cost
The Dispatch has never favored the
idea OF making each county Nor city
lay all It's criminal expenses. for the
reason that il feared that in case OF
some great crime committed in poor
county, the people would be unable TO
bear the expenses of costly prosecu-
tion. and rather than assume that bur-
den would let the prisoner escape-or
lynch him. But we are now beginning to
consider seriously whether 1t would not
he well Ia fix upon each community a
proportion of the charges, which would
slNays Es within its capacity TO pay,
ma yet would be suggestive of greater
rsenomS than Is now generally practiced.
sfowever this may be. the Governors
message on this point, as on all other
points. is wen worthy of earnest con
rioeration.