The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-23

JOIN the new silver party.
"A Constitu.ionai Con,eht.o on IN Virginia.
The Constitution OF Virginia I'M
der which we live was. with
few prominent exceptions framed by
the very scum and dregs OF Northern
and Southern society. The carpet
Dagger. fresh from his Northern town
ship. the scalawag, and the newly-en-
franchised freedman. held high carnival
in the convention. The cardinal motive
which dominated them was hatred OF the
Confederate soldier and the Confederate
cause, and the white people OF Virginia.
Their wretched botch-work has inflicted
untold sorrow and trouble. ana expense
upon great people 1t has seriously
ana immensely retarded the prosperity
Of the State Of Virginia. 1t is far and
away the meanest, the most expensive
and the most intolerable and oppressive
Constitution OF any State I'm the United
States OF America. IL is not suited 10
the genius OF our people. or 10 our in
stitutions. Ii Is true. we have patched
it time and again, but we have never
been able TO remedy its evils. The dress
of Dolly Warden did not exhibit so many
colors. Since silver, the great master
metal of the world, has been struck
down in North America by the COM
bined influence Of corporate wealth and
corporate power. and the price OF farm
ing products has immensely decreased,
and the volume Of private debt mas, by
means OF the same demonetization, been
greatly increased. the burdens of our in
famous Constitution have been more than
quadrupled, and they are IN this, the
year 1886 greater than they have ever
before been since the formation of the
Federal Constitution, and they are in
Crcasing.
MR.. wITHEIs' FIGURES.
II was demonstrated by the accomplish
cd member OF the Virginia Legislature
from Danvihe. MI. Eugene Withers. Ia
the most conclusive manner. that the
expenses of our present Constitution were
comparatively far greater than those OF
the Constitution OF any other State OF
the American Union. 1 viii not repeat
his most interesting and instructive fg-
uros. The conclusion 10 be reached from
chem IS plain, direct, and unanswerable.
We have far too many offices In Virginia.
What need on earth have We for county
Treasurers? What need for Boards or
Supervisors in each county, They are
ABSOLUTELY supernuOus and needless, and
their work can be done by the sherns
and the County Courts. and thus a large
diminution of expense be secured. What
need have we for a Register OF the Land
Office? What need have we now, that
the state debt is settled, for the Office
OF Second Auditor? The First Auditor,
with two more clerks, can readily per-
form the duties OF both OF these offices.
What need on earths nave we
for the hundreds OF school trus-
tees, who now hold office, when
the work could be better done by one
Fl...tss dor
lions appeal 10 the plain, practical com
mon sense OF every man and woman III
Virginia.
Another strong and commanding rea-
son why new Constitution should be
framed is the need OF an elective Judicial
ny. to be elected. not by the Legislature,
but by the votes OF the people.
srvER MADE MISTAKE.
past history and past experience of all
of the States OF this Union show that the
greatest, the purest. and the wisest
judges have always been elected b. the
people. II is singular that never In
single instance. in any state. have the
people made mistake. II Is known OF
all men that judges elected by The Legis-
lature, as rule, are elected, not upon
their merits. but by chance II elected
by the people, their entire career Is sub
jected to the scalpcl and the search
light OF criticism, and he who comes
through this ordeal unscathed and Is
elected, deserves the office. Far be
it from me to say or hint anything against
the present judiciary OF Virginia They
are an exceptionally good lot Of men. and
| do not wish to be understood as saying
anything, either directly or indirectly,
against them. My remarks are against
the system under which they are elected.
With the growing power of corporations
over successive Virginia Legislatures,
there is no telling who may be the sue
cessors I'm office OF the present judges.
The tenure of judicial office is also far
too long. The Judges of the Supreme
Court OF Appeals OF Virginia ought not
to hold office longer than six years In
any event. and the circuit judges not
longer than four years. IL Is WELL
known fact that II a judge holds ONCE
for a long period, or for life. ne becomes
careless. Being freed greatly from re-
sponsibiiity, he does not give his decisions
that care which they deserve. The idea
that judges nave to be set upon a pedes-
tai far above all common humanity Is
I1opian in it's character. and is a hoary
and moss-grown prejudice. A fear OF
responsibility and a little healthy criu-
cism does them often a vast amount OF
good. The people OF Virginia demand
the right to elect their judges by their
own votes. and they mean TO have II.
TIE SUFFRAGE QUESTION.
Another and perhaps the most I'M
portant consideration In connection with
this matter is the need for a change In
the present condition of the right of
suffrage. There should be a careful
registration OF voters each year and