The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1902-10-15
constitutional Amendments.

Constitutional Amendments.
1t is of the highest Importance
that the people consider the pro-
posed amendments to the Constitu-
tion, before acting on same. Ger
tainly the organic law of our State
should be of the very highest tpye
There is no reason why our State
should not have a constitution, as
systematical and efficient, as any
State in the union. We should
have no botoh, or patch work.
Consider for a brief space the
proposed judicial amendment. The
constitution provides for four
Judges of the Supreme Court of
Appeals and fixes their salaries and
also the salaries of the Circuit
Judges. 1t is proposed by this
amendment to elect another Su
preme Judge and to fix the salaries
of all Judges by general law. This
does not meet with the approval of
the conscientious lawyer, or think
ing citizen. The judicial ermine
should be kept unsmirched; and
the Judge, while he should receive
fair compensation, should not be
in continual hope of a greater one;
nor should tine judiciary be tempt
ed to cater to the legislative depart
mept in order to procure a raise
of salary. The reward of Justice
should be fixed, as it is, by the con-
stitution and not by general law.
This has been called a "lawyer
scheme" to further Cypress the peo-
pie by high taxes. Its purpose is
to create more offices to be filed
and higher salaries. 1t might be
we'll to have an odd number of
Judges; but, if the Judges are to
act upon individual cases in body,
as they should, why not three in
stead of five. 1, as a lawyer and a
citizen. am opposed to this amend
ment.
But more against the spirit of
our people and the future interest
of great and enduring State is the
amendment, the effect of which
would be to stop the accumulation
of the Irreducible School Fund.
The founders of this, as we'll as
many other states, in order to pro-
vide lasting means for education
of those to come, and to raise high
CT and higher the standard of cult
ure and intellect, wisely provided
fer the accumulation of fluid, the
interest upon which should be used
annually for the support of the free
schools. This fund is derived from
the sale of forfeited, unappropri-
ated and delinquent lands, all mon
les that may be donated for that
purpose, the proceeds of the sale of
estates of people dying intestate
and without heirs and from other
sources which the people do not
feel. This permanent fund has now
reached about $1,2OO,OOo. and the
interest on same, as invested,
amounts to nearly, or quite, as
much as the receipts. 1t is pro.
posed to fix this fund at 81 600, 900,
spend the remaining 100000 and
stop the accumulation of the fund
which as can be seen, is now almost
self-supporting and is increasing
yearly. In short it is proposed to
spend part of what the effort of
the past has done for the future
and cease to strive for those to
come. 1t is the duty of this gen.
Grafton to transmit this fund, en-.
larged for future usefulness. tits
q near sighted and pig-eyed states
manship that would legislate for
the present Ialone. The future is
made by the past. States in which
there is the smallest per cent of illit-
eracy have these funds, which are
intended to raise mankind to that
goal of intellectual equality, which
is necessary to the grandest lib
erty the world has yet known. Let
us not be ungrestful to the past
but strive for the future and to |
that end, vote down this amend
menf.
Let us now come to the regis
ration amendment, which reads as
follows: 1.-THE legislature shall
Dnaot laws for the registration of