Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-04-10
For the SPECTATOR.


For the SPECTATOR.
Improve Your Legislation.
The examination which has been given the
State constitution shows that the Legislature
and Governor have the control Of law making,
modifying and repeating. If there are too
many Circuit or County Courts for the pub
lie veal, they can be reduced or readjusted.-
If any salaries need changing, except of the
Governor, or the judges during their terms.
the law-making power can do it. If any of
the State officers about the Capitol are re-
ceiving too much, or too little, the law
makers have the power to effect the change
can be dispensed with, or the Register of the
Land Office, as some contend, there is ample
power to do it. So with the office of the
Secretary of the Commonwealth and Libra
rian so in the School Department; the Agri-
cultural Department; the Board of Public
Works. These are all amenable to the legis-
lative will
subject to legislative control, and are elected
by the people, with few unimportant ex-
ceptions. Their duties, salaries allowances
and fees are regulated by law, and the order
of the Board of Supervisors. who are elected
by the people and Immediately responsible to
them
Have you 35 or more election precincts
in Augusta county, with their attendant ex-
pense and liability to mistakes they have
been ordered by the court on the petition of
the people of the neighborhoods, and can be
increased or reduced by the court.
Let it be remembered that. in the times of
economy, for which the public mind now
looks, there was but one place to vote in the
county, and that in the Courthouse, under
the eyes of the candidates. Later on pre-
cincts were established at Deerfeld, Middle
brook, Greensviile, Waynesboro', New Hope.
Mt. Sidney and Mt. Scion, which were
thought abundant. ~f
The roads, local schools, &c, are under
local boards. and can be modified by them,
or if necessary to go further, by the Legisla-
ture.
In all the machinery Of government and
law the power is in the hands of the voter, as
expressed by his representative; no necessity
arises for a convention unless you desire to
into the constitution, or modify the DID, II
may be answered that new provisions are
wanted and important changes in the old II
Now, will the advocates of an immediate con-
vention tell the people what the new pro-
visions are to be, explain how they will work.
and show the advantages over the present
constitution. 1t is not enough to say a
change is necessary. The proposed changes
should be considered to enable an intelligent
decision to be made before convention is
ordered. If convention is assembled before
you have decided what you want done, you
may have an elephant on your hands, which
will make sad havoc with your affairs. The
gentlemen of the Roanoke committee, who
invite conference on May Is, at Roanoke
say ''The subject has been thoroughly dis
cussed in this community, and the move
ment already has the hearty approval and
support of large majority of our people,
Now, they can tell us what new provisions
are to be incorporated into the constitution.
They already say the movement is to rid our
Commonwealth of the crudities and burdens
of the Underwood Sham" That sounds very
good-like Aud Lang Syne. That the con-
stltution has defects in the estimation of the
people in all parts of the State there is little
doubt. But the ''crudities, burdens" and
sham will be charged to different portions
by different people. Will the Roanoke COM
mittee please designate where they locate
them that all may understand and investi-
gate?
Some of the counties would probably say
that it is unjust to require them to contribute
to pay the local criminal and the school ex-
penses of counties in other portions of the
State that each county and city should de-
fray its own entire expenses. The diversities
of locations, resources and conditions, popu-
lation. education and development would
produce many vexed questions, and probable
alterations of sections, which would destroy
the sympathy and friendship which have
slowly grown to their present strength. The
adjustment of tolerable and even friendly
relations between the two races in southern
Virginia. has been a matter of difficulty and
delicacy, and has largely been accomplished
through the courts in that section. The white
race has from all parts of the State been
brotherly, sympathetic and kind in adjusting
the government to preserve the peace and
happiness of both races as far as practicable.
Those not engaged in this work have, at
times, not understood what they may con-
slider crudities but the best dispositions were
made of which the conditions would admit
MODERATE.