Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-11
Uou Money Nny he saved.

We have more than once expressed me
b opinion that the Law which permits
man to be imprisoned for six months AZ
! n cost to the taxpayers OF 80 Iof inc
uon-payment Of a trifing fine. was not
enacted for the public good. such q
! lou, &C. unjust to the taxpayers, as well
as to the petty offenders whom II al
/ fects and the only beneficiaries are
| those persons who derive a proht from
| the care OF prisoners in the Jails OF inc
| Commonwealth.
Thus far the beneficiaries OF this unjust
law have been too powerful for those VINO
have endeavored 10 have T. repeater OF
modified, but we trust that they VIII pe
able to exercise less influence win tht
members OF the present legisia lui'' ~"
that "A reasonable limit OF Imprisonment
NAV be substituted for the present long
term OF six months-The Norfolk Ledger.
This is a matter TO which tn Iegisla-
,ure should give carly and prompt atttn-
ton. OF course. il does not begin 10
compare in importance with the WORK
of seeing that official bonds are properly
drafted ana signed. but there is no good
reason why the Legislature should not re-
form our laws in both respects.
only about week ago the sureties OF
the Treasurer of King William county
were released from responsibility on the
Treasurer's bond because Of faulty
drawn power Of attorney, under which an
agent undertook to act for one OF the
sureties.
Time and again has this state lost great
sums of money because those who rep
resent her in taking official bonds do
not understand or are careless about
the requirements OF the law.
No sooner does treasurer default
than his sureties begin to lool, for flaws
in his official bond, or in the signing there
Of and they. too. often md them.
They then proceed 10 demand full re-
lease or compromise Of their obliga-
tions. Governor Mckinney reported that
treasurers and others were in default
to the Commonwealth 20 the amount OF
SS00.eoo
Not an Of this default is chargesbe TO
the cause that We have referIed TO; Of
course. not; but undoubtedly much of
IL is-the sureties have been released. or
can get released. and the principals are
insolvent Al any rate. we cannot but
ncIltNf AIuL AHf -tiAN has lNrA iACi1 AA'i'
cause many times over the sum OF money
that would have been required to pay
an expert 10 pass upon the official
bonds ana say whether the bonds were
in due form or were liable 10 80 10
wreck by reason OF the power-of-attorney
business. or by other faults. 10y which
so much money has been lost to this
Commonwealth.
This is matter altogether different
from the question OF suretyship by guar
antce companies; il goes directly 10
the point OF having official bonds drawn
in due form and signed properly. IN
the King William case the sureties So
cured their release, we believe, because
there WAS a seal lacking OH a certain
power OF attorney, under which an agent
undertook TO act for a principal. Clearly,
the agencies that the State now employs
to pass upon these bonds are not sufii-
cient. Too many losses occur. Too often
a defective power of attorney" stands
between the State and the sureties. The
evil is certainly not without remedy: and,
if the Legislature would seek Tor and
apply the remedy it would be doing the
greatest economical work possible for Vir.
ginia