The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-30
SUNDAY. MARCH 80. 1902
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

& INC work OF tho Constitutional Conven-
Il ZION. and st should be read line by line
I'LL every citizen OF Virginia 1t is q
7 comprehensive review. making compari-
IONS between the old Constitution and
& The new, showing changes that have
heen made and the new clauses that have
been added Generally speaking, the
3 changes and the new provisions seem to
ns to be good. The rights OF the people
i have been enlarged. the privileges OF cor
,forations have been In a measure re-
ktricted and the interests OF municipalities
4 IRE better protected from ftanchise-grab-
& beers.
The powers OF the Governor have been
q somewhat enlarged. He is permitted
turing the recess of the General Assembly
10 suspend from Office for mfsbehayior,
{ Incompetency. neglect Of duty. etc. all
executive officials at the seat OF govern
xnent except the Observation-Disclosures: and
10 appoint persons to III vacancies. I'm
: der the old Constitution, bill or, reso-5
] iudon may be passed by the General As
i senbly over. tho Governors veto by q
7 vote Of twosthirds OF the members pres
erf. Under the new Constitution, it is
4 required that the two thirds shall include
3 4 majority Of the members elected ito
each branch. It seems to US that it
would be well also for the new Const-
tution to make it very plain that the
Governor is empowered to enforce the
law in any section OF the State, whenever
tn has good reason to believe that the
mob spirit is .n control whether there
be appeal or not from the local authort-
ties.
Among the important changes in the
legislative department, the new Const-
I tuition provides that no member of the
General Assembly shall, during his term
OF service, be appointed or elected to any
civil ONCE except offices filled by election
By the people. This means that the
General Assembly will not be permitted,
under the new Constitution, to elect one
OF its own members to an Office of trust
Or eno1rment-a reform which is badly.
needed in this State The new Conshtu-.
lion also provides that no law be enacted
except by bill and that no bill shall be-
come a law until it has been referred to,
AZ committee and printed for the use Of
The members, reported by the committee
in session and returned, read in full on
Three different calendar days in each
branch, and on its final passage in each
branch the vote shall be taken by yeas
and nays and entered on the journal And
it further provides that two-1fths of the
members elected to each house, includ-
ing majority OF those voting, must be
recorded in its favor. before it can be-
come law.
This is to prevent hasty and ili-con.
eidered legislation and to prevent design
ing persons from sneaking Objectionable
bills through the Legislature The Cen
eral Assembly will also be relieved of the
food OF private bills that have taken up
so much time in the past. There is to
be a joint committee OF the two houses.
which shall be a standing committee on
special, private and local legislation. to
which committee shall be referred all
special, private or local bills introduced
/ 81, either house, and said committee is
required to report to the House in which
the bill originated whether the object of
the bin can be accomplished under gem
eral law or by a court proceeding and
upon said report being made the bin is
referred with the accompanying statement
and takes the Same course as other bills.
One OF the most important institutions
OF she new Constitution IS the Auditing
Committee OF the General Assembly.
whose duty will be to examine the books
end accounts Of those officers Of govern
ment who handle public funds, report the
a1Dult to the Governor and annually pub
- the same in two newspapers Of gem
eral circulation In the State. The Cen
eral Assembly is also required to provide
counts and settlements of the city and
county officers who are charged with the
collection and disbursement OF public
funds. This is the establishment Of the
inspection system, which The Times has
FOR 30 long advocated.
It may be mentioned here that the State
Treasurer IS hereafter to be elected by
Z tho people instead OF inc Legislature, and
Commissioners Of the Revenue are to be
4 ..elected or appointed in the manner to
Be provided by law; but, il elected, they
4 cannot hold Office but o..e term.
There IS one radical change In the court
3 system. County courts have been
abolished and in their stead there will
be circuit courts. which will give bet
ter service. at saving Of about $4,000
d year.
III is a great point gained for education:
g that The new Constitution creates State
Board of Education. to be composed Of
hhc Governor. Attorney-General Snperin-
Etenaent OF Public Instruction and three
Inexperienced educators, to be elected by
the Senate from a list Of eligibles, one
each, TO be furnished BY the Board Of
Visitors or Trustees ofs the University of
Virginia. Virginia Polytechnic Institute.