The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-29
County Government

Editor Of The Times:
sir,-But to insure good county govern
ment the chief agency after all Is the
vigilance of the citizens, who should keep
q close watch upon the doings OF their
officers. and prove this by frequent lhVes-
LEGATIONS of their official actions
These investigations should not be per
f1,nctorv matters of form merely. but real
There should be had in view distihct
nurpose to make reports TO the oooy OIL
the citizens showing what was COM
mendable and what condemnable IN the
action of their officers, and where things
are wrong what steps should be taken
to make them right.
everybody will admit that this view
of the case is correct, but the frouple Is
that what is everybody's business Is no.
body's business, and consequently nobody
does it.
! desire TO make a suggestion on that
baad and sincerely desire that it may
be accepted as a practical plan by the
citizens of some OF the counties at least,
and Immediately put in force.
The suggestion is this: Organize d
citizens league at every courthouse III
the state Require every member TO pay
an Initiation fee-a small one-and invite
contributions from others
With the money thus secured employ
fit man to examine the books of the
treasurer and of the supervisors; to look
into the affairs of the clerks office; the
rractices prevailing in the courts, ana
the reports of criminal cases by mdsls-
trates. which are also Oh record IN the
clerks office.
TO make a report on all these matters
to the Executive Committee OF the afore-
said league, which shall endeavor to cor
rect anything wrong reported 10 it by a
friendly correspondence with the oflcef
or officers reported, or failing in that,
to report the matter back to the league
for public discussions and action.
People say this sort of thing Will cost
a great deal of money. I don think SO.
The Investigating agent OF the comlnlttee
would have to attend every meetihS "
the court and of the supervisors, ana
would have to give five or six days In
the wear TO the examination of books and
records-say an employment in all OF
thirty DAYS more or less, during the year,
Or at s. so per day, expenses included, an
expenditure of SO or SIS, and I am sure
double the amount could be well expend-
ed for the purpose had in view
Our system is substantially that of the
township system, but in carrying II out
orr officials have almost entirely neg
lected the most important feature Of that
svstem-that of publishing stately, for
the information Of the people, an account
in detail of all the disbursements anu
receipts of public moneys.
I'm re in section SAT of the Code, boards
of supervisors are ordered to 90 tthts
thing. but under some pretext or another
they-the boards-have avoided the duty,
and the result has been g, waste and mis-
application of public money to an extent
that seemed to justify the General As
senbly in the attempt to pass bill like
that of Senator Glass for its correction.
Just now the mind Of the people IS
mon the framing Of new Constitution.
Doubtless there is much in the old Con-
stitution that ought to be changed. but
the matters here discussed are not mat
tiers of constitutional reform; they are to
be corrected only by faithful execu-
ton of the law, more honesty in the dis
charge of duty by officials, and a greater
vigi,lnce by citizens.