The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-26
The Spirit Of the c Constitution.

,,he late Constitutional Convention OF
Virginia was called in the nol9lests spirit
of the Virginia people. 1t was called
primarily and pre-cminently In the ~
terests Of pure politics and good govern
ment. 1t was callcdr to remove from from
the politics of the State all Obstacles IN
,he wav of this contamination. The con-
yention was assembled in the same splr-
n and At was that spirit which dominated
and directed the proceedings and the con
clusions Of the members of that noble
body of men. Tho obstacles were re-
y moved and provision was made In the
(, organic Law for the uprooting of evil
n Ard for the promotion OF good I.
NJ F,ut the convention could not do more
than declare the principles, make the
Fundamental rules. and provide for the
necessary machinery The execution Of
b the laws and the operation of the ma
Y chlnery were necessarily committed 10
those who should direct the affairs of
state In their various ramitlcations. No
government can be better than the men
who conduct 1t.
1t is most gratifying, however, that the
spirit which called the convention and
which animated it's members and directed
them iii their sacred work is now mani
fosting itself in the officers of govern
ment But recently an ordinance was
introduced in the legislative body OF
Richmond prohibiting persons employed
by the municipal government from act
ing as members of political committees
and Of taking any official part In the
conduct of elections.
More recently the State Board of Edu-
cation adopted q resolution declaring that
it will be the policy of that board not
to elect to the office of division superin-
tendent any member of q State, city or
county political committee, or any man
who actively devotes himself to partisan
politics.
These are wise and virtuous provisions,
and are encouraging to- all citizens who
have the best interests of tho State at
heart. who would see the spirit of the
Constitutional Convention. the spirit OF
the Constitution itself saturate and In
spire and DIRECT the public service.
Political parties are necessary, and each
party must have its machinery and It's
men to operate 1t. but II we make the
rule that party managers shall fill the
offices of government and conduct tho
elections in which their own political in
terests are involved, the result inevitably
will be political oigarchy, antagonistic
to Democracy, and utterly out of har-
mony with Democratic principles. such
an oligarchy Is not to be tolerated In our
form of government and In order to
prevent 1t there must be complete sep
aration between those who manage the
affairs OF party and conduct elections
and those who fill the Offices. our civil
service list should he roll of honor
without the faint OF suspicion. Officers
of government as other citizens, may
take and should take an active interest
In political affairs. But they should not
participate In party management and IN
the conduct of elections 1t ought to be
The rule IN Virginia that the acceptance
OF an office renders a citizen ineligible
for amy official position in political
PARTY, and for the position OF election
judge. In any case between the Com
monwemrh OF Virginia and any citizen
thereof The citizen in interest should be
neither attorney nor Judge