The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-19
sisttne OF Ave members, who Shall receive
no communication.

sisttne OF ave members, who Shall receive
no compensation.
he Jud .ciary.
The Judges of tbs Supreme Court are
to be elected by the General Assembly
FOR q tern, of twelve years. but at the
first election one is to be CHOSEN Aor Jour
years, one for eight years aho one ZOE
twelve years, &c that the coufl may NO.
he wholly reorgantzed at any oAie tti,e'
thus minimizing the temptation 10 on-
tecionabie practices which are alleged to
grow out Of the selection Of all or the
Judges at one time. and also guardlng ths
pubiic service against the evil enecGs o.
those gusts of passion" which M. Aldu-
ison described in tho Federalist as some
times possessing the best ana mos eoii
se--yatiye people on earth; that IS 10 say.
under the new system proposed Il VII
not be possible for any political party 70
turn out all of the judges OF the CouIe
Of Appeals and supplement them with
new Judges. as was done in the pollucaI
upheaval of 1850. The salaries Oh
these judges are placed at $4,000 per an
mum. Considering the fact that the great
corporate financial and commercial III.
tcressts of The State employ the best lesai
talent that money can obtain. 1t shoulu
be deemed essential that the State snail
have upon its Supreme Court bench lesai
talent of tho same high order, for When
the interests Of the Comm onWealth OF OIL
individuals come in conflict with thesc
great corporate interests. as constantly
happens It would be a misfortune to the
individual and to the State to have upon
the Supreme Bench legal talent inferior
70 that of the practitioners before the
court In view Of this contention, 1t Is
regarded that the salaries fixed for these
Judges are moderate and falr-
Under the existing Constitution, no ap-,
neal can be taken to the Supreme Court
III matters involving less than five nun
dred dollars This minimum was reduced
to three hundred dollars, but after lelo
the General Assembly may, By law,
change the jurisdiction of the court Oh
Appeals in matters purely pecuniary.
The right Of appeal in criminal cases
ie made a constitutional right. whereas
under he existing Constitution t IS mere
~ a statutory right
The most important change made in
the Judiciary is the abolition of the pres
ent court system and the adoption OF
what is termed the single court system
for the counties of the Commonwealth
The State has been dtstrlcted into TWEEN
ty- four circuits, for each of which cir
cult Judge is appointed at salary of not
less than $1,000 per annuln. After two
years the General Assembly may arrange
such circuits but may not create any
new circuit containing less than 10000
Inhabitants. now when the effect Of Gre
ating such new circuit would be to re-
duce the number of Inhabitants in any
existing circuit below O,00O. These judges
are elected by the General Assembly, as
at present, but for terms of eight years
instead of six, except that at the first
election half are chosen for a term OF
four years and the other half for a term
of eight years, so that all of their terms
may not expire at the same time.
The judge of one circuit may be
required or authorized to hold court in
another circuit or city.
The number Of terms Of the Circuit
Courts may be such as may be fixed by
law, and the districts are so arranged
that monthly terms of court may be held
in all the important counties of the State,
In cities containing 10000 inhabitants
or more, there may be, in addition to the
Circuit Court. a. Corporation or Hastings
Court. Those cities Of less than 1o,vU
which now have a Corporation Court may
abolish the. same by vote of their quail
fed electors.
The General Assembly is granted the
power to adopt the Torrens system or
land titles, which, it is contended by
owners of the Commonwealth tens OF
thousands of dollars and also save them
inestimable trouble in the matter Of titles
and transfers of real estate. This sys-
tenn has prevailed for many years IN
Nassa chusetts and other progressive
States.
Power is given the General Assembly
to confer upon the clerks Of the various
courts jurisdiction in all matters Of pro-
bate, appointment of guardians, curators,
administrators and executors and the
substitution of trustees.
Half the salaries of the judges Of the
Circuit and the City Courts IS paid by
the cities and counties and half by the
State. except in cities OF less than lO,OUu
Inhabitants: the salaries of the corpora
ton judges are paid by the city should
such cities insist upon the retention of
such corporation judges The Councils
of the various cities with over 10000 in
habitants are authorized to increase the
salaries of the corporation judges: but
when such increase is made the city IS
to pay the whole OF such increase.
No judge of the Supreme Court OF APP
peals, of the Circuit Courts nor of any
City Court shall practice law or hold any
office of public trust, except the judges OF
Corporal ton Courts in cities of less than
10000 inhabitants, may be commissioners
in chancery in the Circuit Court.
The election or appointment Of justices
of the peace. as well as their duties, are
to be provided for by law
There can be no question but that the
Judiciary system OF the State has been
greatly simplified. The figures are at
hand to prove that the expenses of the
system have been very largely reduced
and nobody can successfully challenge
the proposition that the changes pro-
posed are calculated to insure for the
State a much higher order of legislative
talent than heretofore.
Other Reports.
The report of the Committee on Cities
and Towns has been completed and is
now in the hands Of the convention Tor
consideration. a number of minor AL
are made in tbs, ooyfrpreDI