Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-12
TELEPHONES.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Tho General Assembly of 1901 1902 will
convene again to-day and its proceedings
will be among the most important in the
history Of Virginia legislation. The Cow
ernor will not transmit a message to 1t
on this occasion but from time to time as
NAV be advisable will communicate with
Il en- specific subjects
The meeting has been frequently referr-
ed TO as the third session Of the BODY,
but in point of fact it will be an adjourn
ed meeting Of the extra session authoriz-
ed and ordered to be convened in July
last by the Constitutional Convention
The convention in the schedule attached
10 the new Constitution, stipulated among
other things that .'the said General AS
sembly lin extra session. should enact
such laws as would be necessary to put
this Constitution into complete operation
and Ito confirm those officers whose aP-
,5ointment is made by this Constitution
subject to confirmation by the General
Assembly or either house thereof. BY
the adjournment of the extra session
these duties We're carried over to the reas-
sembling Of the body. and the great re-
sponsibility they involve and the delib-
crate and painsiaking labor they call for
III order to their intelligent and satisfac-
tory discharge will be recognized at
glance.
The work before the body is herculean
virtual change and revision of pretty
much the entire statute law of the State,
but the enactment OF various new laws
for the purpose Of giving vitality to
innovations the Constitution has made
upon our system.
This was obvious to the Dispatch from
the beginning and hence when the extra
session convened we earnestly advocated
that the labor Of adjusting the statute
law TO the new organic law be delegated
to commission. said commission to re-
port to the adjourned meeting. We still
think that would have been the wiser and
more practical course, but the members
thought differently. They decided to do
the work through their own committees
and despite our prediction for COM
mission We are prepared to believe that II
will be well and thoroughly done. AT
any rate that issue has been disposed of
and the decision of the body may yet
prove the better policy in the end. see
ing that it has put every member on his
mettle and aroused his pride in respect
of the matter OF devoting the best of his
lime and talents to vindcating the COM
mittee plan.
Naturally pubic interest is going to
center the more largely IN such proceed
ings as have reference to the Corpora
ton Commission. The enactment Of
such laws as the creation Of the
commission demands VIII be one OF the
greatest labors develving on the legisa-
tors The task will necesstate the exer-
else OF great discretion and judgment.
The constitutional powers conferred on
the commission are very broad and its
duties are multifarious, but to the END
that it may exert those powers and per-
form those duties conservatively ana
justly statutes constituting almost a code
The commission introduces new machin-
cry into our system OF government, and in
4 sense provides for rcvolutionizirg some
of our methods. The General Assembly
is left wide latitude as regards i,npart1ns
force and effect 10 the constitutional art1-
Gle establishing the commission, and
upon the uses which shall be made of
that latitude the advancement or retaro-
ing OF many interests OF the people and
the State may depend.
However. as TO this no more than as =,
the general work of adjusting the sta,utes
TO the Constitution have we reason ia 6o,,h.
that the legislature will not meet public
expectation and demonstrate tina, il ;e
equal 10 the grave responsibilities tha,
have been thrown upon il, The sit,;,.
promises to be a somewha, ,e,.,h,
put that was anticipated in the schedule
II "ohid De sad mistake not to take al
me tlme necessary TO put this Cons;i,r.
non into complete operation"
so eve bespeak for the body natianoo
on Inc part of the people, welcome il 10
h'camond, and express the hone
'ha' IT win pass into history as
General Assembly OF which yirpi,i.
"ih nave right to be exceptiona,,,
Meuo' Such will be the case If the mem.
pefs flse TO their opportunity.
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