The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-09

s55a MI tSEiSOns IN sILfenOmencS3a TO-
Sviding asterm OF eight years for county
treasurer and making him ineligible for a
second term. 81
He said the interests OF Individual office
holders should not he considered when
the question OF he public good was at
stake. The amendment he offered was
not intended to- benefit any one Of a large
class Of most excellent officials but to
benefit the public service. The committee i
had recommended four-year terms, with
another election to make out the eight
years He thought the danger. there would
be that a, treasurer4wouid have to devote
a large portion of his first four years in
trying to secure his nomination and cleo
ton for the second term He thought it
would be much better to elect the treas
urer FOR. eight years and rot low him to-
serve again. III this way the responsible 1
Office could be administered without fear
or favor.
MAY. ELECT a KING.
Mr.. Watson. referring to the argument
that the people should have the right to
elect an officer as long as they wished. 4
replied by showing that the people had
the right to elect q king, but it had been
found best for popular government to
have written constitutions defining and
limiting those rights. In this way many
Limitations had been found necessary by
the people themselves for good govern
ment, and he contended that making
treasurers ineligible for reelection would
greatly enhance the efficiency of these
officers The whole revenue trouble in
Virginia comes from the fact that most
revenue officers have to spend a great
deal Of their time in collecting popularity.
Mr. Hamilton opposd the amendment
offered by Mr.. Watson. and said it made
the term CT Office too long. A dishonest
officer would have an opportunity Of
huge defalcation if he had that long a
time to cover up the defaults of any! one
year. He was also opposed to ereport
of the committee making a treasurer in
eligible for a third term. He advocated
Judge Quarles' resolution, which allows
treasurer to be elected as long as the
people desired.
JUDGE HANCOCK AGAIN.
Judge Hancock opposed that feature OF
the committee report and also Mr.. Wat
sons amendment. He spoke in favor OF
Judge Quarles' amendment. He said the
people ought to have the right to elect
any man unto the day of his death. He
signed the recommendation OF the COM
nittee with the understand lg that he
should have the liberty of Directing to
such parts of 1t as lie Gid not like. He did
not believe in. the principle of ineliglbility
from Governor down to constable. He
d!sliked to take up so much time of the
convention, but these matters We're very
important. and he only wished he had
more ability to oppose these innovations on
the wel-tried system that the people had
become accustomed to and were satisfied
with.
Mr. 1jatson's amendment was rejected.
Judge Harrison spoke in favor of Judge
Ouarles' amendment. He thought no
restriction shoe be placed on the num-
| Der of tunes an officer should be elected
I The best way would be to perfect the sys-
| TEN of checks and balances and only in
| that way coulG defalcations be prevented.
| The amendment was rejected. Yeas, %;
noes. %.
! Judge Harrison moved to reconsider the
vote Mr.. Turnbull moved to pass this
motion by.
The committee failed to pass by. The
noes, q.
MOVED TO AMEND.
Mr. James w. Gordon moved to amend
| bv ma king the treasurer ineligible to the
same office for a second term after sery-
ing four years. He thought to be con-
sistent the principle of ineligibilty should
become operative before the third term.
Mr.. Thornton opposed the amendment,
saying the committee had given the ma t
ter careful and laborious attention and he
hoped the amendment would not be
adopted. The amendment was lost.
Judge Anderson offered an amendment
making all deputies of treasurers ineligible
for the Office of treasurer after the eX-
piration of the treasurers' second term.
This amendment was accepted by the
committee.
Judge Portlock opposed it earnestiy.zHe
moved to strike the amendment out.
Judge Hancock said he had not agreed
to the amendment. The motion to strike
out prevailed. Yeas, II; noes, 26:
Mr. Thornton moved. to reconsider the
vote by which the amendment was adopt
ed. He statedl that several mem bers had
voted under a. misrepresentation. He said
the effect of the last vote was to nuilify
the recommendation of the committee;
to make treasurers ineligible after
second term as treasurer or deputy.
treasurer.
Judge Portlock said he was somewhat
at sea, himself. He did not desire to de-
feat the object Of the committee
Mr. O'Flaherty: II move the committee
rise
WANTED TO GO ON.
Dr. .McIlfaine: There is no sense IL
rising. move we go on with our work
The motion was lost. Ayes, 20. noes, 81.
The motion to reconsider was adopted
Yeas, So: noes, %.
Mr. Thornton moved that the CONF
1nittee rise. The motion was adopted.
Yeas, 81; noes, %.
The committee then reported progress
to the convention. TWAS }hah-past four
o'clock.
Judge Green then moved that the con-
vention resolve itself into Committee OF
the Whole to consider the report on
county government. tie said It was not
right for the convention to adjourn be-
fore 5 O'Clock It was time for members /
TO realize that the time for work siad
come.