Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-04
MARCH 4, 1898.
THE LEGISLATURES RECORD.

THE IEGESLAItHE'S hENOhD'
The Legislature of 1878 will be "em-
balmed I'm history" chiefly upon its re-
trenchment record. Much other business
was before it, some OF which 1t might
well have done: some of which it would
better have left undone-but upon It's
dealing with the great question of making
the States monetary buckle and tongue
meet IT will be judged by the people.
All things considered, we think the
Legislature did its work courageously
and well. The general public would be
much more appreciative of the labors
of members If it knew what difficulties
they encountered, how they were beset
and besought by interested persons, how
they were hpmpered by local considera-
lions, and how many of them suffered
for lack of legislative experience.
The work IF the retrencher is ever diff
hcult. but it is vastly increased when
in the ranks of the retrenchers are found,
as there always are. men who want the
axe TO descend everywhere else except
upon their own immediate constituents.
Again. the Senate and House differed
widely as TO the resources of the State,
and compromises were only effected at
the last moment. when it was seen that
a failure as to them would mean fail
ure of the general appropriation bill.
That large cuts have been made in the
expenses of the State we think there can
be no doubt; but whether they will
amount to 100000 per anAum, as is claim
ed by some we do not know. The real
saving we shall only know after the new
laws have been i'm operation year or
more. We indulge the hope that it, will
be sufficient to remove all apprehension
as to our ability TO meet the increase
OF interest that will become payable
after January /, 1902. even though
very considerable reduction of taxable
values should be occasioned by the gene
raj assessment of 1900.
The failure of the resolution providing
for the submission TO the people of the
question Of Convention or no conven-
ton" was caused by the inability of the
two houses to agree upon date for
taking the vote; but II may be fairly
presumed that The pro-convention senti-
ment had been much weakened by the
extent to which retrenchment adj gone.
A constitutional convention 8 Ways has
been looked forward TO I'm the event of
the failure of retrenchment, not as a
necessary accompaniment of retrench-
n1ent And so. at the close of the ses-
sion, after severe cuts had been made
in State expenses, and after a number
OF constitutional amendments had been
proposed for submission to the next
Legislature. and the people, it was no
great wonder that the convention ques-
tib,I wns; allowed TO fail through by rea-
son OF the failure Of the two houses to
agree upon date for taking the vote.
Nor was much popular interest shown
In favor of holding a convention. The
people have been very retlcent upon this
subject
'.aWe hear of little popular demand now
for change OF the suffrage article of
the Constitution. Nor has the oppose
lion TO our county court system shown
much popular strength. There has been
plenty of discussion OF the subject, but
few, indeed have been the public meet
ings that have declared in favor of the
abolition of the system. And as TO
some other constitutional changes that
have been talked about, the Legislature
has framed amendments that may be
adopted. II the people so desire.
SO far as the expenses Of the State
GoVern.nent are concerned they have
now been made almost as low as they
can be made convention or no conyen-
tion The rate OF State taxation in Vir-
sina Is just what It was when the war
broke out And be IL ever remembered
that out OF this the people have re-
turned 10 them annually a vast sum in
school funds. where previously little was
returned to them for that purpose! This
e. a fact not sufficiently weighed when
our state tax-rate is discussed Again.
the growth Of cur cities and towns has
shifted the bulk OF the State taxation
from the rural TO the urban tax payers
Richmond city alone furnishing between
one seventh and one sixth OF yirclnia,s
revenues.
With respect to the general retranch.
ment work OF the Legislature. We ro
peat that we think 1t has been well
done--all things considered. The I,eets-
lature could have gone farther wjtbo,,
exciting popular discomfort; IL could No, |
have done less. IN view Of the PLEDGES
=" members when they solicited