Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-14
HOW TO CUT DOWN.

| friend OF ours residing In one OF the
Valley counties writes US that ne eahho'
seo how there can be any difficulty N
cutting down the States expenses 80 40
10 net the sum that will be needed IN
few years TO pay the increased interest,"
upon the public debt. He says the WAY
he would do II would be to abolish ihe
Office OF county school superintendent ana
mako the president of the scnool poaTu
discharge the superintendent duuss'
abolish the position Of corporation Judge
and make the police justice discharge ms
duties. and reduce the number OF county
Judges so that each judge should hoid
court in four counties.
AS we understand the law, II any saV'"F
were effected by the proposed change III
the uperintendent's office 1t would ae-
crue to the school fund, not to the puDhe
treasury. II so, that change would not
help us pay the increased interest.
As TO the salaries OF corporation Judges
Richmond has to pay Judge Wits salary
and II the other cities have to pay 'he"
corporation judges no saving wouiu pe
effected in this item.
No doubt saving could be made by
punching" the county judgeships, though
probably not so much. as our friend eX-
poets. The State would not only have 10
add TO the salaries Of the judges thdt
were retained but would have to pay
their travelling expenses going to and
from their courts.
Whether the Legislature will undertake
to make this "cut' will depend upon the
wishes of the people-the people OF the
country chiefly. We confess that. as yet
we see no indication of a popular pur-
pose to demand the change. So far from
il, there never were so many candidates
for these judgeships as at the present
time. Moreover, they are being noini-
mated in many cases by primary cleo
lions. and this method of selecting them
brings them into closer contact with the
people than ever before. and possibly the
result may be that the county court sys-
tenn. as 1t now exists. may become more
popular than formerly.
The Dispatch is ready to open It's
columns 10 all plausible propositions that
may he made for cutting down our gov
ernmental expenses. Virginia has no
choice but to curtail expenditures or TO
find new subjects of taxation, and we
wish to see the people walked up upon
this subject.
We earnestly trust that the Legislature
at its coming session will enter upon TINS
work with great heartiness. III 1t does
not or cannot do what is expected OF 1t
there will be an irresistible public de-
mand TO call State constitutional con-
yention.
1t goes without saying that the people
OF the cities will favor every reasonable
measure OF retrenchment Every interest
OF theirs will constrain them TO do so.
Well we know that when the Legislature
begins flashing its searchlight to find new
subjects Of taxation IL will discover them
in the towns and cities, If anywhere.
We concede that the country people
are not able to stand a heavier rate Oh
taxation than that now imposed, but
neither are the towns-people in condi-
ton 10 take any more burdens upon their
shoulders. Indeed. so far as our mer-
chants are concerned, sound public policy
would suggest, in view of the compeu-
ton they have to endure from untaxed
drummers, that their licenses should be
lowered rather than raised.