Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-27
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
What Offices May lie Abolished by
II; What Reforms Effected.

TO the EdltOr or the DlSpdlcn.
Shall we call a constitutional conven-
ton TO alter the present Virginia Con-
stitution? 1t seems to me that no in
teligent, rejecting man can give but one
answer TO this question. The circum-
stances that surround the people Of Nir-
ginia are pecula ar. The present abortion of
a constitution under which we live is not
the work Of our own people but Is the
work Of aliens and strangers who were
entirely devoid of sympathy with US or
our institutions. The question of serious
and momentous Importance is. Can we
carry on our government more economi-
cally under a new constitution If we
can there ought TO be no two opinions
about it, l do not hesitate in the least
to state that we can save at least y per
cent by making judicious changes in our
present Constitution. our taxes can be
reduced to that extent. Let those who
doubt it look to the admirable comparl-
sons made by Senator Eugene Withers
Of the present Virginia Constitution WITH
the constitutions of other States his
figures are reliable and unanswerable.
In the first place we have TOO many
officers. and in the present condition OF
the salaries are entirely too high. We
have no earthly use for county treasurers'
as the sheriff can easily perform all the
duties of that Office. We have no use TOT
county Judges. as the magistrates can per
form their duties, and no use for half as
many school trustees as we have, ana we
can cut down the number of attorneys
for the Commonwealth by having one
Commonwealth attorney for two coun-
ties In the place Of one. We have no use
for any supervisors whatever as theN
duties can be performed by the maBls-
trates sitting as a county court. bul
above al. il is of the most supreme ana
commanding Importance that the Circuit
Judges and the judges of the Supreme
Court Of Appeals should be elected by
the people and not by the Legislature.
The intelligent thought Of modern times
and the experience OF great majority OF
States of this Union. prove concluslVely
that the Judges ought TO be elected py
the people. New York is a significant and
shining example of the truth Of this as
sertion. In a short time the interest on
our Century bonds will be increased. and
the taxes cannot be increased. This Is
certain. Honor and good faith REQUIRE
that we should meet the interest promptly
on the Century bonds. and to do II we
only be done by a new constitution.
Again we can incidentally help the
cause of bimetallism and free silver by
a recognition of the white metal in the
new constitution.
1t would add too much TO TINS afticie
to show how this can be done, but there
is not the slightest doubt about II, ana
exnect To prove il hereafter in a separate
paper
Among the country people-the tax
pavers. the yeomanry, the bone ana
sinew OF the land-there Is stern ana
powerful feeling in favor of a new consti-
tuition. and it is the duty of the Demo
cratic party to call il. We have had
possession of the State for fifteen years.
and have up to short time past given
the State an excellent government, but
some barnacles have attached themselves
to us which are yard long, and whose
growth is rapidly increasing. and 1t IS
certain that if we do not Scrape them of
they will sink our vessel
We need the scalpel of the surgeon 10
cut out the carcinomous growth when
is upon us. and we ought 10 do II our
selves and not wait for some Marion
Butler to spring up and engulph the grand
old Virginia Democracy of which there
is extreme and imminent danger Al
ready the fiat seems to have gone torth
from the Democratic leaders that there
must be no change, no constitutional con-
vention, and the Republicans nave given
the same orders. / appeal 10 the Demo
cratic people of Virginia through your
columns TO demand a new constitution.
IL is their right.
And In this connection / will state that
with n new constitution we can change
the free school system and let the money
of the white people educate the white
peoples children. and the money OF the
negroes educate the negro children. This
IS right upon principle. and | boldly ana
openly advocate II. | earnestly favor the
present free school system, and its bene-
fits will enhance TO a great extent py ue
voting the money OF the white people eN-
c,usively 10 the education or the WHITE
children. IL would nearly double the pay
of our white teachers without increasing
the taxes n single cent. and would give
much higher class OF teachers FOR ihoie
than one-fourth OF a century we nave
devoted our money to the education OF