The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-19


Assembly.
No member Of the General Assembly.
during the term for which he shall have
been elected shall be appointed or. elecs-
ed TO any civil office OF profit within the
gift OF the General Assembly or the Gov
ernor: and he cannot accept any other
Office of profit except by election by the
peorle. Under the existing Constitution,
great complaint has been made OF ,ths
General Assembly for the pernloious pfae-
tice OF electing its own members 10 I'M
portant and responsible positions OF trust
and profit: indeed 1t has been bitterly con-
tended in many quarters that no candi :
date for public Office before the General
Assembly. no matter what his merits or
capabilities, could stand the ghost OF
chance for election in competition with
member of that body.
The General Assembly is required to
meet on the second Wednesday In Janu-
arv after its election, instead OF on the
first Monday IN December as at present.
To provide against hasty legislation. lt
is required that no bill shall become 4
law until it shall have been referred to q
committee of each house of the EeAecai
Assembly. actually read on three different
DAYS. and on its final passage receive the
votes of two-fifths of the members elect
ed 10 each house. including a majority OF
those voting. Under the present Con-
stitution. biMs ere frequently rushed
through the General Assembly to q, COM
,11tttee. and upon d constructive reading
which is no reading at oil. thus filling the
statute book often with ill-advised and
Injurious and sometimes pernicious ies1s-
lation.
AN bills appropriating money must re-
caive a majority OF all the members
elected to each house, and not, as hereto
fore a mere majority of those present
and voting.
A joint standing committee IS provided
70 which must be referred all speciai,
private and local bills, none Of which
shall be considered until they shall have
been reported by the said committee, or
from the consideration of which the said
committee shall be discharged.
No law, except a general appropriation
law shall take effect until ninety days
after the adjournment, unless in case OF
an emergency the General Assembly SHAH
otherwise direct by a vote Of four-iitths
of the members voting.
The General Assembly Is denied the
right. which it has under the Underwood
Constitution, to enact local, special Oh
private WE in certain enumerated cases.
Anybody who will examine the Acts OIL
the Assembly for the session OF ls3S-lsVo
will note that seveneighths of that giant
an0 bulky volume is taken up with pm
yate enactrnents, which must have con-
sumed the greater part of the time OF the
lee+sIa tive bodv. The alienation Will
enable the General Assembly to devote
its time to general legislation
The officers of the General Assembly
are no longer allowed annual salaries, but
are paid a per diem for the time actually
employed in the service of the state. Inns
will result in a saving Of several thousand
dollars annually.
demonstrations to sectarian institutions,
educational or otherwise. not owned. or
controlled by the State, are proholteo'
except William and Mary College, which
is used by the State for Male Normal
School.
A standing Auditing Committee OF the
General Assembly is required, with ~
tborjtv to employ an expert accountant
to examine annually the books OF the
state Auditor. Treasurer and Secretary
Of the commonwealth.
Public institutions aud Prisons.
A Board of Directors, consisting of i've
members, is charged with the manage
men. and control of the State penltenuafy
and prison farms
A special Board of Directors, consisting
OF three members, is proviued Tor each
of the four State hospitals, and these
specjal boards are constituted a Gen
eral Board for the control of all the nos
pitals for the insane III the State 1t pro
yides that a Commissioner of State Hos
pitals shall be eX-olficio chairman of each
OF the local boards, and of the General
Board. and be responsible for the prop
er disbursement Of all moneys approprl-
ated for the maintenance OF the SAID
hospitals, and shall provide uniform
system of neeping the records and &C
counts OF money received and dlSbufseo.
This alternation reduces the number OF
directors OF these institutions from 80
10 is, and to that extent reduces the cN-
penses OF management. It also deVolVes
anon a single official the responsibility
for the purchase OF supplies for these
institutions, thus exacting greater care
and circumspection in transactions.
Location ana Pubic Instruction.
The report of the Committee on Edu-
cation and Public instruction vests the
general supervision OF the public free
schools OF the State in Board OF Educa-
ton, consisting of the Governor, Attor-
ney- eneral and Superintendent of Pub
lie instruction, to be elected by the peo-
pIe Ihe latter officer is not elected by
the General Assembly,. and three expo
rienced educators. to be elected by the
State Senate from list of eligibles tur-
nished one each from the official corps
or faculties Of the six State institutions
of higher learning. The Board thus con-
situted is to associate with it one city and
one county superintendent, who will have
the Same powers and duties as other
members. except that they will not par
ticipate in the selection of any public
school official. 1t is believed that this
change in the composition OF the Board
will take it out of politics and render IT
much more efficient in the discharge of
its duties. Among the duties OF the
Board will be the selection OF city and
county school superintendent, the selec-
tion OF text books and educational appll-
anccs. the making OF all needful rules
ana regulations for the management OF
tho public schools, which rules and reg
uIations Will have the force of law UNI
less amended or repealed by the General
Assembly.
The material alienation consists in the
fact that the Board is taken out OF pol
iticS and will no longer be subjected to
the dictation and terrorism OF any leg