The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-20

THE LEGISLATOR Is THE MAN.
In his 1ecen, epis,le to the south
ca-olniaus. severely censuring them
for the shameful political conditions
now existing in that State, senator
BENJAMIN Ryan Tiuman hammered on
point which the people OF every
State ought ever TO keep ID mind. with
reference to the two gubernatorial
candidates who have wrought tho PAL
petto state up to tine highest fever OIL
political feeling he said
'One word in conclusion and the
most important word OF ali There arc
men u the state Who believe If Judge
Jones is not elected that the state
viii so To the dogs. There are others
equally honest and patriotic who be-
leve that IT blease is not elected the
reform movement and principles 't
STOOD for will be destroyed Both are
wrong The Fabric OF GUY government
is not built on such q flimsy founda-
ton. but it Is OF vital impoltance-aud
I say this with an solemu.ty OF which
l am capablc-ihaJ the Legislature to
le elected this year is OF more import
ance than IL filling the Governors or
nce. II We nave brave true men, who
are honest ana not 10 be browbeajen
or hr.bed or seduccd into bo;raying
their constituents. no bad Governor
can do us any irreparabie INJURY. and
without them no good Governor can do
much good. SO I mplorc my fellow
citizens 10 see 10 it that the very best
men ia each county are sent TO the
House Of Representatives. ana the
senate. Then whether Blease or Jones
is elected. We Will be safe"
That IS the very wisest sort OF coun-
sci and il cannot be repeated too much.
L The Legislative branch is composed
OF vicious men, the hands of n good
executive are tea; if the executive is
vicious tho good Legislature can tic
his hands. Under our present system,
the executive can not do very much to-
enlarge the welfare of the people. for
the legislators make the laws The
power OF the executive in legislation
IS negative he can check a bad law.
but he cannot pass a good one III
every Governor could adopt the policy
OF Woodrow Wilson and assume re-
ronsihnity in initiating legislation and
pushing il through, the power ana the
Importance OF the State chief executive
would be greatly Increased and the
common lot Of the people improvcd:
but. as it is. the Ucst We can do is TO
elect the best Legislators obtainable.
TOO often the people fan into the COM
mon error OF believing that a legisla-
tor is man Of little Importance ana
that any old kind OF man viii do TOO
often the people elect Incompetent
men OF narrow vision instead of Sec
Ing TO It that the very hest men avail
able are entered and elected.
The vice OF our political system in
Virginia is that the people are negli-
Gent o: their welfare in eiectins their
Legislators for All TOO many members
OF the last General Assembly were i'm
efficient legislators. a mediocre Leg
isiature nceqE' mediecre legislation If
the people Of tho ola Dominion were
as much aroused TO their civic duty
When electing their Legislators as they
are when electins their Governors. the
People would he vastly better of ard
the State would prosper ana progress
The legislator IS OF more potential
menace or more potential service 10
the advancement OF tie peopls than
The executive.