Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-06-21
SHOULD DISQUALIFY THE MEMBERS.

There has been very general COLI
domination of the legislature for cleo
ing members of that body to the offices
within its gift. This sentiment has been
generally shared, so far as we have OBJ
served, by the gentlemen elected TO the
constitutional convention, many OF
them having asserted that the leglsla-
ture ought to be forbidden to elect It's
own members to office. There is equal
ly as sound a reason for disqualifying
members of the convention as to the
offices created by the new constitution.
No member Of the convention should
consider himself qualified to fill any
office which he helps to make, and we
hope to see the convention, at an early
date. adopt q resolution to the effect
that no member of the body should
hold an Office created by it until one
term shall have expired. This would
effectually remove any possible suspi-
cion that the members are planning to
make berths for themselves. They
ought not to make berths for them
selves, and they ought not to be sus-
pected of doing it. They can forestall
any such suspicion. Daily
News.
These views of our contemporary SO
commend themselves to us that we
cannot refrain from reproducing them.
They are in accord with the general
sentiment throughout the State and
W bile no member of the convention,
may be contemplating such a course,
it is timely that attention should now
be called to it's evils.
The old order is changing, and in the
new there is every reason to believe that
our State will take it's place in keeping
with b Ell traditions. Much depends on
the works of our Constitutional Con-
vention just assembling. Taking the
m embership of that body all in all we
believe that it is the peer of any that
ever sat in this state, and makes a
pl easant spectacle to those who feared
to see in control self seeking time ser
vers. Impossible things are not re-
qui red of it; they cannot inaugurate a
millennium, but they can materially i'm
prove our political condition. All Of
us have some ideas peculiar to our
sci yes which We hope to see imbedded
in the organic law, but there are some
things which should be done that must
appeal with overwhelming force to all
fair minded men. We too believe it
should be made impossible for the Leg
islature to elect one of it's members to
Office, for like reason members of that
body should be ineligible to election to
o ffices created by it for the first term
hereof. In these matters the course
Of the Legislature has been little less
than scandalous. No man on the out
side could hope successfully to COM
mete with legislator in an election
by that body. In the matter of Great
ing new offices no legislator could hon.
estly represent his people and judici-
Ously pass upon the advisability of it's
actions if he had in view the purpose
Of returning home to stand for the Of
fee the advisability of creating
which be was to be the judge. 1t is
possible for one under these conditions
to act for the peoples good, but the
temptation to act otherwise under
such circumstances is great. Our
lawmakers should be as Caesars wife
not only pure but above suspicion. Nor
should the application of this principle
be limited to the Legislature; no men,
Der Of our Constitutional Convention
should be eligible to election to any
new Office created by that body for the
first term thereof. This should he a
written law, and if not written should
be an unwritten law of no less binding
force. For it would be sorry spec.
tacle to see members of that body, for
getting the dignity of their high Of
tice, scramble to create soft berths that
they might return home to occupy
them.