The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-16

SENATOR JOHN u. MASON.
Chairman Of the Special Joint Com
mi;tee on Retrenchrncnt and Reform)
anything like unanimity it will be surpris-
ing. The trouble is that no member
wants 10 concur In any action that ar
fects adversely any of his Office holding
constituents
Every member. as FAR as is known, dc
sires 10 accomplish sometnng i'm the way
OF saving money to the state and not In
creasing taxes. But how 80 do so Is the
question as TO which the lawmakers are
very much disagreed.
MR.. MAUPlN'S VIEWS.
A reporter Of The Times asked tAe
views of Delegate Addison Maupin as 10
the matter of retrcuchment and reform
lie expressed himself as follows: ..
There are many propositions before this
Legislature looking 10 the reduction OF the
expenses OF the Commonwealth, nearly all
OF which are meritorious and II they could
lie enacted into law would have the de-
sired effect, but unfortunately the inter
est OF some one class OF our citizens Is
touched To a greater or less degree,
which at once arrays against that partic-
ular measure or measures those VINO are
affected thereby No great reform can
be accomplished at once, nor will this
Legisls ture be enabled 20 do as much as
the people expect, because confronting
them IS the present constitution which
says thou shalt not" TO my mind the
remedy for our present cost OF running
the government lies in changing the con
eiitution' IN the following particulars:
First, from judicial circuits or districts
COMPOSED OF four 20 six counties over
which one judge shall preside and Tor
which there shall be one attorney for the
Commonwealth; second, provide Tor the
election Of all county officers TO be held al
the regular fall elections; third, provide
FOR the appointment of the Commission
ers OF the Revenue by the county or
circuit judges and lastly place upon cach
county the burden OF paying its entire
Rricfy my reasons for these several
changes fin the present methods are these:
our county judges are not employed more
than half the time and should devote all
Of II 10 the service of the state and re-
ceive therefor adequate compensation.
This could bc done and still have
substantial stun I'm our treasury. The
same reason applies 10 the COmmohwealth
attorneys. The election of county officers
at tho same time that the fall elections
are held would effect large saving ana
give the people much needed rest from
the excitement and worry OF Such ire
quant political agitation.
The appointment of Commissioners or
Revenue would remove That office lfom
the hands OF the people whose persona
property valuations are to be hNed ny
Caid commissioners, ana thcleby ichueI
the officer independent 1900. 90,
The commissioner accepts Jones list
duly signed and because Jones Is an IN
iuential man in his county lie hesitatcS
20 raise the question OF the correctness
of the valuation he finds on the list. And
why? Because being human. ne SAYS:
"Wen. Jones has signed the list thereby
swearing TO IL and II his conscience VIII
hermit him TO give these nSuies the SIN
Is his. not mine and rather than offend
him. III accept IL, although beheNe lie
should have made the value larger.
IL is said that General Malone once fc-
marked. GIVE me correct valuation OF
the pcrsona property or virginia on
which TO base taxation ana / will pay the
state debt within a reasonable Time
Whether he said this or not, believe
II is absolutely true, 49, ... L.,
portant, on the ground that you bring IN
der ;he supervision OF the several BOARDS
OF supervisors the expenses on each OF
the counties and they being Directly an
swerabie 10 the people will look elosey
into each item OF expense ana .ius ~
enabled TO cut on those which are use
leesl calculation / made some Gays
since revealed the fact that II TINS melh9Q
should be adopted, State taxation cuWu
he reduced TO about - cents rom ,n0
present rate OF 80 cents ana 'n5 icu"0.
,ncreas. iheir rate by N cents, when:
bnwsvpr. 1 don't think would III an
cases be necessary. NOW you NdNV
asked my views, and you nave lheln
Thev may not be practicable AT plesth,l'
bnt / believe some such plan as mat oul-
lined herein must be adopted BEFORE mere
yli he effected the great saving whisH
is "a much desired and demanded by the
people. -, .yrop N-TrNya NJ
a. snInOkH.
cussed retrenchment ana REFORM ds ~
lows: -. nh. hni and
the apparent earnest desire on the pa
Of many of the members OF the Iehei ~ ~
ssscrnbiy 10 prepare for the incieas "a
,n.crest account soon 10 be met. revive
the hope that before the BODY hnaiiy su-
ts,,ns something substantial VIII De
lone In the way of increasing the ieNe,
nue. and cutting down the eNPShsca "
the State government. virginia is einPIy
able 10 pay all the legitimate expenses OF
eovernmeih and meet the Increased IN
,erest on her century bonds without IN
creasing the rate OF taxation or dealing
harshly with any class or INDUSTRY Inc
oyster property can ana shoui9 Df nidoe
IN produce a net revenue OF al least
10000 II Is believed that before "a
Assembly adjourns bin VIII be enacted
hat viii turn into the State treasury
from SIS. 600 30 $4,000 perhaps more. /
refer 10 the bin introduced by senator le
cato. The appropriations 20 educational
and other Institutions should be reduced,
ard those who have Investigated the mat
Ter believe that about $4,000 can he saved
annually by reductions that win in no
way rffecf the usefulness OF these insti-
tutiODs
IN the Parks bill will produce 100000
Tho oyster Industry Ike amount. and
N the rs coo men Who now pay no capi-
tation tax be made TO pay that tax.
these. together with the reductions IN
the appropriations. will put the State IN