Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-07
Ax,,n.f rgConvension Vow.


To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
Although handicapped somewhat In inc
views / am going TO offer against the
call of a convention now TO alter tne
State Constitution by the fact that soine
two years ago / signed a petition Tor 'ne
call of such a convention, / propose W
give the reasons that have caused my
change of mind, hoping they may nav
the like effect on the many readers Oh
your valuable paper In the nrst p'aee'
the present Constitution contains III
Article XII. sections and (see Code Oh
1857. page 49,. ample powers for any c"anee
or amendment therein In much cheapet'
and just as effective form, as py tne
call of a special convention for the pun
pose. and both sections have been III
session Acts 1888, page 2GS TO 269; session
Acts 1912, page 49,; session Acts 1876 o.
pages 2iO. 2iS. and 20.
In 1853 the question Of the call Of
convention was referred 10 the people,
as the Constitution required, and was
voted down by q large majority. NOW,
what has happened in the last nine years
While the Democratic party, so necessary
for our salvation, has been In power, OF
is likely to happen In the next eleven
when we are bound TO vote on the ques-
ton of the call of a convention again.
10 necessitate the call OF a convention.
now, at the expense of $4,000 10 an I'M
poverished people? The aspiring young
statesman, or the successful politician or
demagogue, who expects to be member
of said convention, may want II, out the
poor voters of the land, whose taxes VIII
be increased by the additional cost OF the
convention, do not need it, and we hope
won't vote for it.
The main reason urged for the present
call is that the Government OF Virginia
costs more than that of some of the States
south Of us, or, in other words. the excess
sive and unnecessary expensiveness Of our
present State and county government.
Now, IL this be true, and we have our
doubts, this costliness can, for the most
part, be remedied by the Legislature in
the manner proposed by section 8 Of the
present Constitution. See Code 1887, page
40. The judicial circuits, OF which there
may be too many, may be combined or
arranged" so as to lessen the cost Of
this branch of our judiciary and give
more salary TO fewer judges TO do the
same work (see Article VI, section 1O,
and the like may be done with our county
judges, laying the State off in districts
and requiring the same judge to preside
week each.
And here let me say that we have not
long ago elected our judiciary. and have
as good a bench in all our courts as we
need, or are likely to get. whether elected
by the people themselves directly or by
the Legislature That any more effective
and less expensive system would be Cd
tanned by going back to the collection OF
the State and county revenues by the
Sheriff instead OF tho Treasurer Is GER
tainly doubtful. The payments are as
punctual and az full and satisfactory as
they ever were, and the division of offices
and responsibility is not an evil.
The ballot is the main reason for a
change; but is there any chance or pro-
liability for such a change as to war
rant the call of a convention now?
Can we hope to get rid Of the ballot,
shrouded, as II is, in mystery and Sc
crecy Ohe parents of fraud, and go
back to the old-fashioned. viva-voce
voting-the ballot which John Randolph
said was only suited TO a nation of
scoundrels. for, IL IL did not find them
So 10 would make them So? The fear
OF violence at the polls will outweigh In
this age the fear of fraud, and we will
stick to the fraud system every time
Just now, when the Republican party
ever opposed to us at the SOUTH is in
the large majority in the United States,
seems a particularly unfavorable time to
unsettle the fundamentals OF our law,
and we would especially remind the pub
lie that, while money is scarce. and
the times are hard. adding the additional
$1,000 debt is not going to help to re-
lieve us; that a change of laws and Con-
stitution is not going to make us any
more prosperous or happy. In the words
OF the great poet, we would say;
How small, Of all that human hearts
endure,
That part which laws or kings can cause
or curer'
JOHN PAGE.
Beaver Dam Depot, March 4. 1897.