The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-30

ZEE les: .IC
members OF each house It. Is otherwise
directed. This will enable the people OF
the Commonwealth to inform e. hem
selves In regard to the laws fore they
go into effect. Section u #of the new
article on this subject forbids the pas
age OF special. private or local laws IN
a number of instances, such as S.: the
granting. of charters TOT rivat csc porattS
tics. granting any special prlvite &c or
exclusive right, privilege or Immunity To-
any private corpora ton or indi vidual !;
granting any pension orss pensions; exc
tending the time for the cole ton OIL
taxes; refunding money laWfully W paid
into the treasury, and section Is directs
the General Assembly to pass general
laws on those subjects. and in&1. other
cases where general laws Gamble enacteaS
which will accomplish the purpose: II
is believed that these two sections Will
,confine the General Assembly principally
to the enactment of laws general in their
nature and will result in saving the
members from great annoyance and be a.
great saving to the people of the State
Section Is also forbids the General AS
sembly from cxempting any individual
nor shall its operation be suspended for
the benefit of any private corporation,
association or individual, but local, spe-3
cial or private laws now in force shall
remain so until repealed.
s Section 26 gives the General Assembly
power, by general laws. to confer upon
the boards OF supervisors of counties
and councils Of cities and towns such.
powers OF local and special legisla tioiis
as it may from time to time deem ex-3
pedient.
Section 81 requires the General AS
sembly to fix the per diem allowance OF.
the employees of the Senate and House
to compensate them for the time actu-
ally employed, and makes the clerk OF.
the House the keeper of the rolls. and
allows him to charge fees to individuals
for services rendered. but prohibits him
from receiving any compensation from
the State as such.
Section Is prohibits the General As
sembly from making any appropriation
Of public funds TO church or sectarian
institutions, whether charitable, indus:
trial, educational or otherwise, not;
owned or controlled by the State, but
allows the continuation of the appro-
priation to William and Mary College.
Section % requires the General As
sembly at each regular session to ap-
point a standing committee, consisting
OIL Two IIlelllOeFS Ol llc soSildlC eAAu Ill CO
of the House, to be known as the Audit
ing Committee, which shall annually, or.
oftener, in their discretion, examine the
books and accounts of the First and
Second Auditor. the State Treasurer anu
the Secretary of the Commonwealth ana
report the result to the Governor and
annually publish the same in two news:
papers Of general circulation in the
State, and gives the committee the
power to employ one or more expert ac-;
countants to assist in making the SAID
examinations. This is a very important
provision. Heretofore the practice has
been for committees to be appointed BY
the Senate to make examination OF the
above Offices during the sessions of the
General Assembly, which was lmpos-
sible, and under the new provision ample
time is given the committee to make
these examinations and see that proper
checks and balances are kept. ana must
result in good to the Commonwealth.
The Judiciary Department.
There are many important changes
made in this department, which may be
considered unnecessary at first. but IL
is believed the changes will finally re-
suit i'll great good to the Commonwealth.
Under the new system the County Courts
have been abolished. and all the bust
ness of the County Courts is to be done
in every county once every two months,
if not oftener. Under the old system the
County Courts had jurisdiction only OF
criminal cases and civil cases involving
500 and under, and of appeals from jus
tees of the peace, and the credit system
in the country was almost destroyed be-
cause the CIRCUIT Courts in most cases
were only held once in six months. Since
the adoption of the present County
Court system the criminal expenses OF
the State have gradually increased and
it is believed that under the new system
the criminal expenses of the State will
be greatly reduced, as the new system
will be more efficient in every way. In
der the old system the jurisdiction of
the Supreme Court of Appeals in mat
tiers merely pccuniary was fixed at; $500,
while under the new system it is fixed
at $500. Under the old system no quail
fication could be had on an estate or
will admitted to probate except in open
court, under the new system the clerk
Of the Circuit Court is made a probate
judge, and qualifications on estates may
be had and wills admitted to probate
at any time in his office. Under the old
system, in counties of 5000 inhabitants
two clerks were required, while under
the new system only one clerk is re-
CURED The State is divided into TWEEN
ty-four judicial circuits, and the city
courts remain as at present, except that
in cities of less than 10000 inhabitants
by a majority vote of the electors in any
such city, the Corporation Court may
be abolished. The salaries of the Cir
cult Court judges and of the judges OF
city courts in cities having over 10000
Inhabitants, are fixed at $1,000 per an
mum, one-half to be paid by the State
and the other half by the counties and
cities composing the circuits. The sala-
of 1~rac n cities under 10 ONO In
habitants are to be paid by said cities.
Salaries of judges under old
system .............. .......... s134, lao Sc
Salaries Of judges under new
system ............... ..........s loo'o9o ~
Total saving to people Of
State in salaries.........$ 2f,444 10
Government OF Cities and Towns.
The changes i'll this article deemed Of
sufficient Importance to refer to are as
follows:
,,,,,,,;ci,o1 corpora CON It,jnr