The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-11

TO impress the Nirginians mind with
the enormous burden that the State car
ries. Mr.. withers makes the following
summary OF her officers. to-wit:
Look at yirginia's long line OF officials
Judges NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ~
Prosecuting attorneys ................. JIG
Clerks OF courts Observation-Disclosures. li5
Commissioners Of the revenue ........ 25
SherimS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. jig
/ iItdsurtfs ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. III
superintendent of public instruc-
tOh. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 10
County surveyors and superintend-
ents Of the poor ..................... 200
Magisterial district officers. justices.
constitutes, etc. ....................... EyVO
Ioiai ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5,yio
The argument here is. Of course. that
any State with this vast army OF officers,
many Of whom must be unnecessary SUI
| pernumeraries, IS greatly burdencd with
taxes that she might save IL she dispcns-
ed with the unnecessary officers. But let
us look into this muster roll and see how
the whole case viii go off into thin air
when the test of critical analysis Is APP
piled to it. Twenty-Five hundred Of these
1916 officers are magisterial district Off
GERS, justices. and constables. and not
one of them draws a dollar OF salary
not n dollar of taxation Is raised on their
account. We may. therefore, strike them
| of Of the list: whereupon our officers
are at once reduced from 1916 to LILO.
We care not what form of government
we adopt, the counties must still have
their justices and constables under some
name. Society could not exist without
these local representatives. of the States
authority in direct touch and commune
cation with tho people.
Let MS look, then q little further. We
might undoubtedly have fewer county
surveyors and superintendent Of the
poor, but the county surveyors are paid
no salaries, and the possible saving on
superintondonts OF the poor would be the
morest trine. AS for the superintend-
ents of public instruction. it is idlo TO
talk of touching them. Tho people are
welded to the system Of public free
schools, and If the subject is meddled
with at all, it is much moro probable
that more money viii be given TO them
than that any will be taken away.
We might, OF course, abolish the office
Of treasurer and make the sheriff do the
work of both treasurer and sheriff; but
the pay Of both these officers is In the
main, fees and commissions. and those
fees and commissions would be sure to
remain tho same that they now are,
Il whether h.. 10
was divided between two. We really see
no possibility Of any substantial saving
there. Nor do we see how we are going
to get along without commissioners Of the !
revenue under some sort of a name. IL |
is inherent i'm any sound system Of tax |
collection that there shall be two Offices
one 10 levy the tax and another TO coll |
lect. If both functions are consolidated |
in one office the confusion and the OPP |
portunity for fraud is unlimited. The |
two Offices are necessary in the nature /
Of the case as checks upon each other.
If, therefore. we should abolish the COM
missioners Of the revenue we should re.
quire the same officer in some way under
another name.
The cases Of the judges, clerks OF
courts, and prosecuting attorneys may all
be considered under one head Mr.. With
ers says Virginia has II judges with Si32.-
200 Of annual salaries. while North Caro-
lima has % judges with $4,000, 80 that Vir-
ginia's judges cost her $4,000 a year
more than North Cardinals cost her.
and that Virginia has l16 prosecuting at
torneys, which cost her SIS 900 a year In
salaries, while North Carolina has only
10 prosecuting attorneys, which cost her
SsS, 800 or a saving 10 her of S4S,5OO
year. The proposition for amendment
here is that we shall abolish our county
courts and have all the business Of the
State transacted by few circuit courts,
the most essential feature Of our polity
and sociology is our monthly county
courts. They bring the people together
once a month, when all the affairs Of
the county are talked over amongst
them and all of them are kept interested
In all that goes on in every part OF the
county. The homogenity OF our people
md their frankness and freedom Of inter-
course with each other are due more 10
The county courts than TO all other agen-
lies combined. But If we should abolish
hem the circuit judges would hold court
lot more than three or four times a year.
he people would fall out Of the habit
If meeting together and an injury would
be done TO the basis of character
amongst the people that never could be
cpared. We will not consent. come
what may. to giving up our monthly
ounty courts.
Tho same line Of reasoning applies 10
he Commonwealth attorneys. 1t is. Of
curse, possible for an itineraHt Com
attorney 10 travel around
rom county to county and prosecute the
prisoners he finds lodged in the Jail of
ach but in that case he is a stranger
n each county and not in touch with
he people. This is not the way 10 have
he public interests properly represented.
FOR them to be properly represented :
here should be a Commemorative at '
orney in each county and town who
nows the people and keeps in touch with
hem, and who knows the ms and the /
uts and the colorings Of all the neigh a
orhood rows that take place. y
In short, we can perhaps save a hun
-