The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-01-30

(.
our law. will come newly into office
next year, SO that the enactment OF
this law TO take effect then VIII not
be unfair to anyit,i them Unless such!
law as this Is enacted the statute ii,
respect to the comm ission allowed.
sherlffs for the collection and dis.
| tursement Of taxes should be Ee-enact,
ed so as to mal1e'dt clear. IN some
counties it is construed; one way and,
In some the opposite ~, GGff 4 IS /. =
! Employees OF the Legislature.
another very important matter
which, 1t is hoped, you will pass upon
IN a satisfactory, manner, is that OF
! limiting the number of officers, clerks
and other employees Of the Legisla.
ftGre, and fixing their compensation,
co as to bring about long and much.
! needed reform in this respect,
| Changes in License Laws. -,
You are asked to make certain
| changes in the laws respecting licen.
| sec, mentioned Ia the ninth item of
I the proclamation calling you togeth.
| er.s The reasons for these changes are
| obvious. 49,. -. .
49, Form Of Ballot. '..'
7 he s'amendme;tt made by the last
! session Of the Legislature to section 81
OF chapter g.. OF the Code, relating to
the form of the ballot to be voted at
general elections, became. a law with
cut MY approval. / did not approve
It because l doubled seriouslythe eff
cheney of the act, and I did not disap-
prove 1T because. hoped it would be
some improvement on the old law
But mature consideration brings the
| fear that the new law is so defective
as to be almost useless. ST.. .--
Registration Of Voters. H..
You are urged to amend chapter 5
Of the Code, concerning the registra-
ton Of voters. This subject discus.
| sed in my message to the last session,
| and deem it unnecessary 10 discuss it
further here
Corrupt Practices Act.
The subjects contained in the four
b teenth and fifteenth items of~the proc
lemation were discussed also in my
last message. L cannot think. it is
necessary to- uIEa upon you the i'm
portance of corrupt practices act, as
it is called, except 20 say that the chief
fault Of such acts - that they are not
| sufficiently comprehensive. - =
Property Assessed by Public Works
49,. Board.
$, The. amendment of the sections of
chapter 20 of thc>Code, respecting the
assessment Of property for taxation
by the Board Of Public Works. Is de-
sirable for several, reasons. One rea-
son Is that the present Jaw does not
give the Board sufficient time to- per-
| form this important work satisfactory
ly; another reason is that. the method
Of obtaining RELIEF by the owners Of
property sassessable by the Board when
| that property IS in more than one
| County, is cumbersome and expensive
IN time and money. A bill for this
| purpose was before you at your fast
| session, and understand that the at
torneys Of the Leading railroads ap-
proved Of Its provisions 49," |
Amendments to the Constitution.
The entire Cclleeitution should be.
amended by q 3ew one. There are
| those who thiiK that no further,
amending Of that instrument should
be made, because such patchwork, as
! thcy call it, will delay/a much needed
| rev organic law. I admit the neees-d
sity of new Constitution, but l see
| no prospect of obtaining it in the near
| future, and therefore I am strongly
inclined to recommend that the pres
hn <fo
lars. ... .
Section l Of Article 10 should. be
amended~so that the Legislature may
classify property for taxation and ex-
empt bonds Of counties, cities and the
like from taxation. There is more
yearly a general agreement in favor
CT these two things in taxation than
perhaps on any other phase of this
great subject. -.
The section Of the Constitution con-
corning the. ballot should be amended
because IT is impossible to enact a
proper election la'Y under it as it now
stands.
| again strongly recommend that
YOU adopt the two amendments print
ed in full In my regular message to
your last session concerning county
courts. The one amendment increases
the compensation Of the members to
three dollars per day, and confers up
On any county the privilege of further,
increase by vote of It's people. The
other amendment has reference to an
altered and modified form of court for
any county and eniarges the authori-
ty of the Legislature in passing such
acts. 1t provides that acts creating
such tribunals IN leu Of county courts
may prescribe tie duties and cotnpen-
aation of different members Of the tri-
bunal the idea Icing that in the lar.
ger counties it MoNid be better to pay