Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-04
Tho Con,eatlon Again.
QanVille Heglster.)

News comes from Richmond that our
General Assembly IS likely to smother
or reject Mr.. Witherss bill for submit
ting 10 a vote Of the people the question
whether n convention shall be called TO
amend and raform the Constitution. 1t
would seem that no honest Democrat
who believes in the right OF the people
TO govern themselves under FORM OK
government OF their own selection should
refuse 10 allow the people 10 decide TINS
question, ana this Is all Mr.. Withers
proposes. IL opposition exists to this Dill
il must come from desire TO perpetuate
4 state OF affairs such as now exists
and which involves, indeed necessitates
the political corruption or which COM
plants so loud are heard from all
quarters. and the system Of vast and ex-
hausting expense and taxation under
which our people are grooming and sink
ing into hopeless pauperism.
The Register has hitherto indicated It's
opinion that important as the question
OF outrage reform H. Il is only one or
the reforms which the welfare and pros
perity of the State imperativeiy require.
The reduction OF taxation IL first and fore
most among these. and was one or the
avowed purposes of the voters in the last
election. and the most frequently repeated
and most sacred promises OF the present
members Of the General Assembly. with
a view 10 this, let the legislators and
people consider what costly and extrnva-
gant system of government the Underwood
Constitution. under which we now i've
imposes. The township system. under
article I, even as amended, is source
Of much expense. in each district, ana
there cannot be less than three In every
county, large or small, six officials are
elected, to be paid by the people and fed
from the public crib. The county Dust
ness. which was once done and well done
by the magistrates at nominal COST, IL
now done BY supervisor from each
district at an extravagant expense, while
in the same district three magistrates are
elected. on whom the duties OF superVis-
ors might we'll devolve. This arrange
ment, too, Is n ceaseless source OF poiiti-
cal scheming and corruption. and tends
TO divide the counties into political fac-
lions. But this Is a small matter when
compared with the other expenses re-
ouired under this Constitution. The
county judgeships afford another In
stance. These judges are so niserably
paid, we admit, as to suggest the idea
that they are selected for inefiiciency,
but sim the aggregate OF their salaries
amounts to almost as mucn az tne WhOle
judicial expenses Of our sister State or
North Carolina, where justice Is confess
edly administered much more promptly
and with equal certainty, and her Judges
paid double the salary OF the Circuit
Judge in Virginia. The judicial expenses
OF North Carolina, including the pay by
the State TO solicitors. our Common
wealth's Attorney. do not exceed annu-
ally 10000, while the same expenses In
Virginia are certainly not less than
$4,000. All OF our State expenses are
In proportion. In many the contrast Is
more marked. For a single Instance. a
record of a certain large deed conveying
lands in both Virginia and North Caro-
lima. cost sl.052 in Virginia and less than
s. in North Carolina; and to sum up the
whole matter the State expenses or Viz
ginia nearly double annually the State ex-
penses OF North Carolina. Surely there Is
something wrong In all this. The suffering
people demand an opportunity to correct
IL and relieve themselves. and the Regis
ter warns the General Assembly that
they are I'm no humor to have their
wishes defeated by marty fears or hopes.