The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-04
COMMISSIONERS AND rREAsuRERS.

The new Constitution provides that county anc
city Commissioners of the Revenue. if elected by
the people, shall not hold Office than
term, and that Treasurers shall not be eligible to
Office more than two terms in succession. The
General Assembly recognized the fact that it was
very important that efficient Commissioners OF
the Revenue should be retained IN the public
service and enacted law that the Commits
sioners should be appointed by the Judges Of the
Circuit Courts. The result has been that there
have been no more changes in the personnel or
those officers than there were in the past
But it has been thought by many to be unwise
10 place upon the Courts the duty of dispensing
such patronage. The Courts should be kept free
as far possible from anything pertaining to
such matters Moreover the Court is largely in.
huenced by the petitions sent up and the repre-
sentatons made by the friends of the candidates,
so that in degree the present method is
open to the same objections which lie against cleo
ton by the people.
/ The General Assembly very wisely determined
that the people should be given the opportunity
of settling this matter as to them shall seem best
aud so at two successive sessions of the General
Assembly, it has been voted by large majority
to present to the people for their adoption or
rejection two Constitutional A>>ndments, the
purport of which is that both Commissioners OF
the Revenue and Treasurers shall be allowed to
succeed themselves. by vote Of the people.
These amendments have been more generally
discussed than any others. We present briefly
| the arguments on both sides,
The trainers of the Constitution thought that
these two Offices presented greater opportunity
than any other local Office for men to perpetuate
themselves in Office by showing favors to the
voters at the expense OF the interests of the
State. 1t was argued that the Commissioned
under temptations to follow the example of
the wordly-wise steward, mentioned by the Mas
ter, who went to the debtors Of his employer, and
/ cut their bills from twenty to fifty per cent in
order 10 secure their goodwill. So the Com
missioner is said to be tempted TO reduce the
amount of mans assessment in order to secure
his vote for reelection, and thus the State is
made 10 lose in revenue, and practical bribery
is practicea.
In the ease of the Treasurer ii argued Thar
if man could be elected indefinitely to that OF
fee by the vote of the people, he would be len-
! ent with many of the people in pressing his tax
collections and the State and county would lose
money thereby, and the Treasurers themselves
would frequently lose heavily by their desire to
/ please, to be kind TO the people, and so il was
argued, it would be better for the State and for
the Treasurers themselves If it was made abso-
lutely impossible for a man to hold the ono.
! longer than eight years. thus requiring final
/ settlement at the end of that time.
+ 1t has also been argued that since the new
Constitution gives to the Treasurer the collection
OF the polttaxes he is placed in possession such
information concerning the number and names
of qualified voters, that there is danger OF the
establishment OF an oligarchy, composed of the
Treasurers of the various cities aud counties or
Virginia, who viii perpetuate themselves and
their friends in office by the improper use of the
knowledge that they obtain from the capitation
tax list.
1t is declared that there is an Office Holding
Trust in the State and that this Trust is en-
gagged in campaign to secure the reelection OF
the men in office for an indefinite time IL is
also stated that the present Treasurers and Com.
missioners Of the State exerting themselves
7 with great vigor and system to secure d vote in
favor OF the Constitutional Amendments
II is furthermore contended that the Consti.
tuition forbids the election Of the person
to be Governor Of Virginia for more than one
term successfully, and the same principle should
apply TO the Treasurers and Commissioners
In favor of the amendments are the following
reasons:
The basis of the present law is distrust OF the
honesty and fair dealing of the men for these
positions 1t must be frankly admitted that ii
the Commissioners and Treasurers are honest
men they will endeavor to keep the oath, which
they took when they entered upon the duties or
their Office 1t is certain that many, very many.
OF the men who I'LL these Offices are OF high char
aeter and will deal honestly with the State.
The number of meg who will enter into compile
ity with venal voters to defraud the State, In
order to votes, is a small percentage OF
the whole number
4 The present method of selecting the Commits
soners OF the Revenue by the appointment Of the
Circuit Judge is open to similar objection, for
! the Judge is largely Influenced by the wishes OF
1 the people OF the district concerned