Richmond planet., 1901-08-03
SWEEPING
REDUCTION.
Wiping Offices out OF Existence.
WHITE OFFICE-HOLDERS SFRANTIC-THE NErRt
QUESTION IS NOW SECONDARY


The Constitutional Convention met
Saturday, July 81, 1901. Prayer by the
Rev. Richard McIlwaine, d. B. Eigh-
ty members answered to their names.
A resolution was read from the Dover
Baptist Association asking that con-
stitutional provision be enacted prohibit
ing the appropriation of public funds to
sectarian institutions or to those partly
or wholly under sectarian control.
A petition was presented by Mr.. Boaz
asking that the homestead exemption of
$1,000 be changed SO as TO facilitate the
collection of debts.
Mr.. Summers offered a resolution 70
change the oath of office so that a can
didate would affirm that he had used
neither money or whiskey to promote
his election.
The committee on the reduction of ex-
penses made a sweeping report as fol-
lows:
To the President of the Convention:
The Committee on Reduction of Ex-
penses beg leave to submit the following
recommendations as TO the judiciary
system Of the State:
I've recommend that the entire
County Court system be abolished.
2. We recommend that the Circuit
system, as now constituted, be abolished.
3. We recommend in the stead of the
present Circuit and County Court sys-
TENS the following.
TWENTY CIRCUITS ASKED FOR.
rTNl,o d,,-;ss.,,, % A. c..A. -. .
circuits, each, of which circuitsh have
residing judge who shall receive "A sal
AIRY of $1,000 per annum and $3.50. per
annum for expenses, III lieu OF the pres
ent mileage allowance.
Each circuit>shall have pIosecutinr
attorney whose salary shall be 81 500 per
amman, with an allowance of $3.50. per
annum for expenses, who shall perform
the duties of the present Common
weafth's attorney.
a THREE TERMS PER ANNUM.
4. That there shall be held in each
county of each circuit not less than
three terms per mnum, and such other
terms as may be found necessary for the
convenient despatch of the business of
court; and terms smay be designated for
the trial Of civil or criminal causes.
5 That the Legislature have power
hereafter TO create such additional cir
cults as may prove necessary or advisa-
bic, provided that ANY circuit so created
shall not contain less than sixty thous-
and inhabitants.
OTHER DUTIES FOR CLERKS.
6. We further recommend that the
jurisdiction of matters of probate, adj
minismaton, ETC., be conferred in yaca-
ton upon the clerk of the Circuit Court
in each Of the respective counties, cities
or towns, and that all matter pertaining
TO roads, bridges, etc., be vested in the
proper oonnty authority established by
this Constitution.
z. We furthur reccmsnend that all
corporation, or Husting Courts in cities
or towns Of less than IL, 500 inhabitants
be abolished. and that the jurisdiction
of such courts so abolished. be conferred
upon the Circuit Court of the district in
which such city or town is located, and
that the question of whether or not a
Circuit Court shall be established and
held in such city or town shall be de-
termined by law.
WHEN TO TAKE EFFECT.
S. The above recommendations, in
our opinion, should not take effect until
January i, 1904, the end of the present
term of the County Court Judges, and
we recommend that the Circuit Court
judges, whose term will expire January
1st, 1908, be allowed TO hold over until
this recommendation, if adopted, takes
effect. The terms of the Corporation
Courts, recommended in this report to
be abolished begin and end at separate
times and no uniform provision can be
made as to when their terms shall ex-
pire, and we leave this matter to the
wisdom of the Judiciary Committee.
8. If this recommendation takes eff
feet, it will result in the abolition of the
Corporation Courts of Bristol, Buena
Vista, Charlottesville, fredericksburg,
Manchester, Radford, Staunton, and
Winchester. 1t will result, therefore in
the diminishing of the officials of our
Judiciary system as follows:
HEAVY REDUCTION.
Eighty corporation judges, eighty-fve
county judges, one hundred and eight
corporation and county clerks, and one
hundred and eight Commonwealth at
torneys as well as the abolition of our
present Circuit system, and in the stead
thereof we recommend the substitution
of twenty circuit judges, twenty prose
cutting attorneys, which will, of course.
necessitate, clerk for each county or
city wherein circuit court is held
10. We further recommend that ins