The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-01-18
Communicated
Quadrenrial Sessions


objection to the proposed quadrennial
session of the State Legislature. The OBJ
iectors do not consider the welfare Of the
taxpayer They appear to be afraid to
lose some OF the privilege OF the pie coun-
ter. and evidently do not mean to lettlp
ans chance OF slice getting away from
them. II the assertions OF many oi the
leaders OF the regime, which has recently
got on top, are worth a picayune. ses-
sion every four years is stepin advance,
and the toual abOlshing Of all sessions
would be the best possible thing TO do, il
the benefit 10 the taxpayer is To be con
sdered. Legislative sessions cost money,
and il they can be omitted without in
Jury 20 the peoplc-except the Legislators
and the attendant barnaces-it will be
OF great benefit to the public at large :
and II the gentlemen mentioned can lie
| believed, there can be no choice as To
which is better for the State, from a
pecuniary point Of view. To refrain from
electing all members Of the Legislature,
all the expense Of elections and biennial
sessions, not to speak Of theextra sessions,
may be kept in the pockets of the people.
For years and years these gentlemen
have reiterated the charge that the leg
islators have been the creatures and tools
OF certain men-that the supposed rep
resentatives OF the people have been in fact
the hirelings of the said certain men, and
not the free agentscommonly supposed
that the people have been betrayed unto
certain and snndry men called 3" bosses, y
who have dictated and controlled legis-
lation for personal gain to the detriment
OF the interests OF the people. Now, these
gentlemen are men of honor, and like the
immortal George. they cannot lie. IL is
impossible for them. Therefore it fol-
lows that the charge must be true, and
cannot be proven otherwise.
In view of these undOubted facts the
patriotic and devoted Honorabes OF the
Constitutional Convention will confer
the greatest possible benefit upon the
public at large by suppressing all State
elections and all Offices, except as herein
after designated, thus saving many
thousands Of dollars to the people.
The Constitution makers could simply
provide for the choosing at each Con-
grcssional or Presidential election OF one
man who shall have supreme power over
every department Of State government,
and who shall be empowered to select at
will clerks at moderate salaries TO do all
necessary work. This man might be
nominated by a primary according TO
the proposed plan, and the people allow
ed to elect him; but this is about as far
IA the voters should be allowed to GO
1t seems that, according to the evidence
OF the gentlemen aforesaid, the people
have been in the habit Of sending lot Of
mercenaries to the Legislature, where
they have repeatedly betrayed their
trust and sold themselves.
OF course this should not be allowed in
the future. According to the same evi
dence the State has been run for the past
six or eight years By one-man power. 1t
appears from the report OF the Governor
that the condition OF everything is Of the
best, and finances exceedingly so. II such
Is the state OF affairs under one.man
power what is the use OF having several
hundred office holders who are practi-
cally of no use except to eat up taxes
extorted from n long-suffering people ?
Better legalize the appointment OF one
nan to attend to all this, and then the
people can have a rest from the lurid ora
tory and pocket patriotism OF the self
sacrificing seeker who is so anxious to
die for his country-in any kind OF old
office, provided, however, there is fat
salary attached.
1t would seem that the Convention is
mighty anxious to save at the spigot
while wasting at the bung. They have
no objection to spending thousand dol
lors' worth OF time to save fifty cents OF
the peoples money in some other direc-
ton. Aregular system ofnon-attendance,
together with the per diem, makes Con-
vention membership very attractive, and
the members appreciate and work the
snap to its full extent. An average daily
attendance OF fifty-fve per cent. allows
about half OF the members to be away all
the time attending to private business.
A daily session Of four hours gives each
man an average of two hours per day,
and a rate OF four dollars per day allows
about two dollars per hour for actual
attendance. 1t would be a mighty good
thing II all the people could become Con-
stitution-makers. There are not many
OF them who get a chance to pocket two
dollars per hour for sitting in a warm
room in a comfortable seat aud being
waited upon by attendant pages.
The TATTLER.
L..