The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-01
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

The Firg,nian up 10 the present time has had
little 10 say concerning the Constitutional Amend
ments, which are to be voted on next Tuesday.
1t does not believe that it matters very greatly
what becomes Of them, whether they are adopted
or defeated The Constitution as II now stands
the work Of an able body OF men. who EN-
deavored to frame the best body of laws possible.
They did excellent work.
But the Constitutional Convention was not in
faible even in the final exercise of It's collective
wisdom. This work like the work OF all men
must be tested TO prove It's value. That testing
convinced the General Assembly that in certain
particulars the work should be changed and at
the last two sessions of the General Assembly four
Amendments 10 the Constitution were proposed
and endorsed by very large majority and sent
down to the people The men composing the
General Assembly were elected by the same pco-
pie who elected the members of the Constitutional
convention and in voting at two sessions for these
amendments it is probable that they thought they
represented the wishes of their people.
The weight of presumptive evidence is in favor
of the amendments. They We're proposed three
wears ago they were discussed during the session
Of the General Assembly, of 1908, and YET were
adopted then. They were discussed in 1910 and
were adopted then. The presumption is that the
people approve Of them or that they are indif-
fercnt.
The lirdnidn as stated above, thinks that
there is nothing in these amendments to call for
such agonies as have been ulged in by the
Supreme in Virginia, nor does it believe
with Speaker Byrd that the Treasurer of
the State will get by the thoat and
establish an oligarchy. There arguments
on both sides and the State will survive which
ever way the people vote. 1t may not be the
customary thing for newspaper TO claim any
thing short of omniscience and infallibilitv but
The Vrgtnidn frankly admits that in the ques
tons involved in these amendments it will be
content to state the case for the consideration of
the people and leave them to settle it.
The first two amendments concerning the ]
General Assembly. The present session of the |
General Assembly continues sixty days 1t can
be extended TO ninety days by the vote of the two
houses, without additional pay for the members
The salary Of the members is $500 each for the
session or 1888 per day. The proposition is to
extend the session to ninety days. It is to be
presumed that if this is done the pay Of the
members will he increased in proportion, for
there is no necessity to extend the session to
ninety days, unless this is the purpose, as the
members can extend it themselves, if willing to
serve without pay.
The reasons which led the General Assembly
to propose this amendment to the Constitution
are that is not possible to give proper considera-
ton to the business Of great and growing Com
like Virginia in sixty days. The
method OF procedure in a two house body re-
quires that every measure shall go to Com
mittee Of each house and sometimes when Finance
is involved it is sent to two Committees as was