Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-02

cult judges for eight years. it appears in
judicious fer the people to entrust such
far-reaching powers TO such an ephemerai
body as Joint session of the General As
scmbly: tits hardly in keeping with the
policy Of our form Of government TO con-
centrato so great responsibility into SO
small a space. Then IN tho election OF
some twenty-five judges at one session OF
b the Legislature u system OF "log-roiling ="
and combinations" inevitably creeps In.
aud by deft manGnyering some men but
indifferently qualified contrive to be
chosen; in fact. when so many judges are
chosen at one time 1t will almost unayoid-
ably turn out that some candidate below
the high standard required will succeed In
being elected. Then. again, under the
present system a political CONFUSION at
such juncture rs this might Ill all the
benches with judges OF the same political
bias-a pregnant evil-and as last defect
NAV be mentioned the fact that too many
of our courts will be filled with lnexpe-
rienced Judges, even though they be men
of ability.
To remedy those objections to our sys-
ten the following IL suggested. 10 other
minds other measures more efiicacious
NAV occur Let the term OF otfice OF tne
Judges OF the Court OF Appeals be short
ened from twelve TO ten years, aud then
In order TO do this, at the election IN
1865 it would be necessary to elect one
Judge for two-year term, ono for atOnr-
wear term, one for a siS-Year term. one tor
an eisht-year term, and one for ten-year
term IN order to put this plan into opera
ton. In regard 10 circuit judges. divide
them into two clAsses-One class with
the circuits with eJeH numbers, ana
one with the circuits with odd num-
bers at the election IN 1912 elect
those with ercn numbers for four
years, and those with odd numbers for
eight years, and after that elect each class
alternately every fourth year to eight-year
terms. The election of one Judge OF the
Court of Appeals every two years would go
far to reduce TO o minimum the objections
10 which our system Is now open ana tue
division of our circuit judges into two
classes for election would be step IN the
same direction. To ehectuate these
changes our Constitution would have 20 be
altered, but By 1905 the system suggested
could be put into operation. Other states
nave tried such a system with good results
Let it be said. however, that under our
present system it will happen only once IN
twentv-four years that our circuit judges
and appellate Judges are elected at the
same time-not again until 19l7-IS.
LENox.
Richmond, Va, Marcn %, 1893.
The Election OF senators.
New York World, March 20th.l
The Virginia Democrats are discussing
the interesting subject of the election OF
senators. Mr. Scott, an ex-secretary OF
the Democratic State Committee, sug-
gests that the candidates for this office
should be nominated by the state con-
ventiOn like candidates for other offices.
As THE RIcHMoND DISPATCH points out.
this method is open to all the objections
which are urged against the present
method Of election by the Legislature. Its
own preference seems TO be that the can
didates for the senatorship should present
themselves before the people when the
members Of the Legislature are chosen.
THIS would make the senatorial question
paramount in legislative contests TO the
dstrlment of State aud local interests.
The best method for electlng senators is
by popular vote. The men who are fittest
tor senatOrshlps will then have better
chance than they now nave, when long
purses and machine methods exercise a
potent sway in the Legislatures OF some OF
the States. The people are the best con.
stituency. and the sooner the election OF
senators il given 10 them the sooner will
the Senate cease to be a rich mans club
and become what II formerly was, coun-
Gil OF superior statesmen.