Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-05
JULIUS MEYERS SONS. 9Th AND BROAD.

said Senator Sands. you can count OF
that. There will undoubtedly be some
action looking TO the reduction of the
number of county courts, If not to theil
| adjustment, and dispensing with some OF
! the basement offices. You can say thai
an effort will be made with every likeli
hood of success, to securing the equalIza-
ton of taXtion-making the personal pro-
perry of the State bear it's just share
of the tax burden. Much of the property
Of this class is not now reached by the
assessor at ALL / am satisfied that a
Joint constitutional committee will be APP
pointed looking to a reduction Of ex-
penses by changing the organic law, and
1 think such a committee could accom-
plish everything that could be dones by a
retrenchment committee e.Vrir
Il am not prepared to fullysexpress my
views as to the need of constitutional
changes" said Senator Wickham, Though
| am heartily in favor of cutting town
expenses in every way at all possible. L
am inclined to favor a special committee
TO consider the subject"
CAN'T HIT AMISS,
"You can't hit amiss in amending the
Constitution" said Senator Letcher. 1T
bad at almost every point / am in
favor Of referring the matter to a spe-
cial committee. A regular committee
could not devote to it the time which
would be given it by a committee ap-
pointed specially for that purpose.
want this committee TO thoroughly IN
vestigate as to what offices could be dis
pensed with, and then report the changes
in the Constitution needed to enable the
Legislature to lop them off. That is the
way to effect retrenchment."
DESIRES AMENDMENTS.
Senator ]. L. Mason, speaking on the
same subject, said: II have just intro
duced a resolution in the Senate to-day
providing fer the appointment of a spe-
cial committee to make an examination
into every department of government
State county, and municipal-wlth
view to curtailing expenses, and II, 10
retrench, this committee finds 1t neces-
sary to make amendments TO the consul
tuition, it shall report the amendments.
1 am heartily in favor of the objects OF
the resolution, and i believe this is the
sentiment of the General Assembly"
WANTS GENERAL CHANGES.
Hon. j. c. Parker, of southampton,
said: 80 many reforms are now pelng
advocated, most of them needed, that
hardly know how to discriminate as TO
mean to say that our State Government
is bad compa red with others, for IT is
better than most of them. In the way OF
constitutional changes, L think a thorough
revision of the judicial and county gov
eminent systems and reduction OF the
number of elections is most needed,
though 1 fear no constitutional change
can come without a convention. In the
way of legislative enactment, ] believe
that the greatest saving can be Effected
by transferring some of the burdens now
chargeable TO the county and city trea-
suries to the State Treasury, and by
some of those now charge
able to the State Treasury to the coun-
ty treasures. That is, put all fixed
charges, such as salaries of officers on
the State Treasury, and fiuctuating
charges. such as justices fees and all
other criminal charges, on the county
treasures, where they will be closely
scrutinised by local authority and re-
jected If not correct, and fought by local
sentiment If not necessary. l doubt II
any, or many, of the head of our State
departments can be abolished without
impairing the service, but / do believe
that many uselessN subordinates at our
State departments and institutions, in
and elsewhere, could be done
away with, or equally as good service
secured for much smaller pay than we
are now paying. We ought to have a
general overhauling on this line, but be
careful TO do nothing to seriously, or |
even to the least extent. impair the SER
vice. / believe that the corporations or |
the State should be made TO pay a larger |
share of the states burdens than they |
DO and / think some measure TO reacn |
personal property not now listed for tax |
alton should be adopted-something along |
the line of what was known as the |
Parks bill last session Of the General
Assembly"
SHOULD BE CUT DOWN.
Mr.. Upton III. Jennings said he voted |
or constitutional revision, and wanted |
amendments badly. TO accomplish changes
made necessary by the need Of economy.
lie thought the criminal expenses of the |
State, two and a half times as great as
hose of North Carolina, should be re-
iuced, and a special joint committee
hould be appointed to consider and ra-
,ort upon all matters connected with
evision and retrenchmentl ni ~, -
LEGISLATURE CAN DO 1T.
DIR. snead said that ne had been op-
sosed TO calling a constitutional conven-
ion, and had voted against H., for the |
cry reason that he thought the Legis-
ature could deal with the matter.
Mr. Ryan, Speaker Of the House, had
1u, heo e. j