The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-14
CONTINUED on Page SIX,

The sttorney General, and the lAttnr:
ney General has no authority over.
the Prosecuting Attorneys. The Gov
ornor has no power to remove any,
Of these officers or any other oMcer
who fails Is do his duty. or who fails
10 act on the suggestions Of the Gov
ernor even These things being true
Il IS submitted that II Is on the Dor
derland Of absnfdity to say that the
Governor Is the chief executive OF,
Ger. and has power to enforce the
law or IS Responsible for its enforce
ment. The tendency for years ha'
been toward dissipation of authority
The appointment OF Secretary oil
State has been taken from the Gov
ernors although that officer has coz
fidenttaI relations with the Govern
or. The Attorney General. who ought
to be the right hand of the Governor
in the enforcement Of the law. is un
der NO legal obligations to the Gov
ernor whatever. u make bold to sa.
that both these officers should be ap'
pointed by the Governor; aud the Gov.
ernor should have the authority,
which shonld be of course properly
Guarded and restricted, to remove any
oficer (but not judges, OF course). who
rs incompetent, corrupt or who fails
to do HIS duty.
II Is so in many other States. l re
ceise letters calling my attention to
what some other Governor did In hi.
State In the matter of enforcement OF
some certain law. but the writer's Of
these letters were ignorant that the
power given the Governors were with
held from the Governor Of West Wiz
ginia. Two years ago 1t was propos
ed. In "a bill pending before the Leg.
isfature. to give the Attorney General
authority to intervene in the prosecn
ton OF violations OF the revenue laws
but the lobby representing certain
interest 50 strongly objected to such
an unbeard4of proceeding, that the
proposition had to be abandoned
Some good would be accomplished by
five lines ofiegislation that would con
fer on the Attorney General author
ity to appear In any case or proceed
ing that the Prosecuting Attorney Of
any county may appear in, and should
appear in any case by order of the
Governor have almost reached the
conclusion that you should either
make the Attorney Generals Office
effective, and make him, under the
Governor. the real head of the law.
enforcing department Of the State, or
you should abolish the office and
save expense Of It to the people. Let
US be done with sham-especially
shams that use up the taxpayers
money. Be is remembered that am
not criticising the Attorney General.
He feels as keenly as do the present
( state of AFFAIRS. The things am
speaking Of, and which am speak.
ing Of most earnestly, from profound
conviction, are no fault of that Off
Il Ger. He Is not to be blamed that the
y laws have made him largely a figure,
sd. In fact he is not required even
TO reside at the capital. ] have had
m my mind that 1t would be prop
sr step to increase his compensation
tn condition that he would reside at
THE capital, and would give his whole
time to the conduct of his Office. II
he preferred not to do this, then pay
him merely nominal compensation,
The reason that It would have to be
done in this way is because Of the un.
fortunate provision of our constitu.
ton relieving the Attorney General
from having TO reside at the capital
auris.s his term of ONCE. The Attor,
hey General should have sufficient
saiars. because the State needs his
Whole time and all his services: and
u this could be arranged, 1t would re
suit in q onomy, because 1t wouit no,
he necesrary to employ so many sfe
clay attorneys, for the Attorney Gen
eral and his assistants could look aft
er nearly I'll the law. business Of the
state.
ttiNElif ALbWs tAt ShMGhL9 'hht Ntt
be made against what q have said IN
der this head. Judging by the past
my motives will be imougned, AID Il
win be said that am advocating cen
radiation Of government OF course
make no reply to personal reflec
tons, but It is freely admitted thai
this is a plea for Capitalization of au
thority. am making plea for what
u understand George Washington
meant, when he said, in his Fare
well Address:
8 And remember, especially. that FOL
the efficient management of your com
mon interests, in country so exten
sive as ours, a government Of as much
vfgor as is consistent with the secuf