The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-14
WEDNESDAY MA CHI. "a 1894.
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During the late session Of the General
Assembly Mr.. Withers, Of Danville' speak
Ing to his resolution which looked 10 the
holding Of a constitutional convention IN
Virginia, presented considerable array
OF figures with a view 10 showing that
government cost much more in Virginia
than In the States to the south Of US.
We forebore 10 remark on Mr.. Withers
speech at the time, because we never
have supposed that the movement for a
constitutional convention had any real
backing except in the idea of abridsing
the suffrage. aud. as any abTidsment OF
that must apply to white and black alike,
we have seen decided evidences that pop
ular judgment was against a convention
10 accomplish that result But we have
seen Mr. Withers' figures taken up and
commented on. so that it is best, we think
10 look at the case squarely as 1t Is pre-
scented from that standpoint.
Notwithstanding all that Mr. Withers
said. and we have not examined his eta
tions to see whether they are correct or
not we are very positive in our opinions
that there are no economics that could
be introduced into our system Of govern
ment by constitutional convention that
could not equally be effected by acts Of the
Legislature. In other words, there are no
radical defects in the organization OF Nir-
ginias government. Before the adoption
-. 4
what was as simple and effective an ad-
ADMINISTRATION as could be devised. The
present Constitution added our public
school system to il, and that undoubtedly
imposed a very heavy additional expense
upon us. But no one is fool enough to
think that constitutional convention
would touch that in any way whatever.
SO that no saving Of expenses would arise
change in our government made by the
present Constitution was the substitution
OF the county judges and the boards OF
supervisors for the counties in place of
the old berch OF magistrates.
The people were undoubtedly much at
tached TO the old magistrates courts, but
the system of county judges has given
great satisfaction. and we question very
much whether there would be any strong
feeling for abandoning them to go back
to the old magistrates courts.
The magistrates now would be very diff
ferent from the magistrates Of 1850. These
county judges cost, possibly. from forty
TO fifty thousand dollars a year. and OF
this sum considerable part could UNI
doubtedly be saved If we returned to the
old county court system. But, on the
Other hand. there would no doubt be an
increase in criminal costs due to the less
efficient management of the increased
number OF criminal cases
And we have no idea that the return
10 the old system would be made, so that
there would be no saving here.
We cannot see that 1t would be worth
while to hold a constitutional convention
TO change the county supervisors into
officers TO be called magistrates. The SUI
pervisors are county magistrates. and the
county magistrates would be nothing but
supervisors. The difference is in name
and not in character. We see no saving,
therefore TO arise here.
The only saving that can be made IN
our expenses is In cutting down expenses
created by acts Of the Legislature, noia-
bly, in the provisions relative to criminal
trials and bringing prisoners TO the peni-
Tertiary. But as the Legislature creates
these expenses the Legislature can provide
for their modification or repeal. and we
see. therefore no sort OF reason for hold
Ing a constitutional convention in any
facts relating TO the cost OF government