Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-10-10
THREE AMENDMENTS
TO CONSTITUTION.
Virginia Voters will Say On November The
Fifth Whether or Not Legislature Shall
Limit TO Tenure in Office City Treas
uTeTS and Commissioners,

uTeTS and Commissioners.
Those who read the letter of MIR. w.
u. Young, of Roseburg, Oregon, that
appeared in this paper two weeks ago
will remember he spoke of sending a
copy of a pamphlet issued by that state
containing copy of all measures ''Re-
terred to the people by the legislative
assembly," Referendum ordered by
petition of the people % and Proposed
by initiative petition" to be submitted
to the people at the election to be held
on the 9TH day of November, together
with argument flied favoriug and op-
posing certain of said measures.
In this, the sister state on the west
ern coast sets valuable lesson. At the
election to be held next month in this
state there will be three amendments to
the constitution of Virginia, and it is
a safe guess that fifty per cent of the
voters who go to the polls will not know
why thew are given two ballots, and
also that half of those who know, in a
way, that there are some sort of amend
ments to be voted on, will do so with
but scant knowledge of what they are
voting for and will probably mark their
ballot by guess" as to what is the best
thing TO do with the amendments. If
this state does not follow the example
of far away Oregon in the matter of
getting out a pamphlet for information
of the voters, it should at least, provide
for the publication Of any proposed
amendment in at least one paper in each
county, so that the people may have
more than cursory knowledge OF so
important a matter as amending our
state constitution.
One of the proposed amendments, if
it becomes a law, will vest the General
Assembly with discretionary power to
depart from the form Of organization
Of and government of cities and towns,
and now set forth in the constitution,
and to establish from time to time for
the cities and towns of the state such
forms of municipal government as may
seem fit, provided that no form so
chosen shall be operative unless the city
or town affected adopts it by majority
vote of its qualified electors. Accord
ingly, after the passage of the amend
ment, cities and towns upon due appli-
cation to the General Assembly may
adopt new and improved forms of gov
ernment so that the governed may have
more efficient, more economical and
more businesshke government.
| This amendment should carry a. It
has been proven by the experience of
cities like Galveston, Des Moines and
others of the west that the commission
form of government is q move towards
efficiency and economy in municipal ad-
ministration aud reform. Most of The
towns of the state could have their af-
fairs better governed by the appoint
ment of a single representative busi-
ness agent to look after their interests
than by the present cumbersome form
Ofsgovernment.
Another important matter for the
consideration of the people in November
will be the re-submitted amendment to
the constitution relating to the tenure
of city treasurers and commissioners Of
the revenue, and it seems most likely
that the vote will be in favor of these
officials being continued in eligibility to
succeed themselves as long as the peo-
pie want them.
1t will be remembered that this
amendment contemplated that treas
urers should not serve more than two
consecutive terms and commissioners Of
the revenue only one term, and that it
should apply to counties and cities alike,
but by fluke this restriction was re-
moved in the counties and made to ap-
ply in the cities only. The injustice Of
this miscarriage of the ballot was so
manifest that the Legislature last wint-
er, under a popular demand, provided
for re-submitting the amendment to the
to the electorate.
In connection with this amendment
the Lynchburg News Of September 10th,
says:
''The Richmond Times Dispatch con-
tinues to excite itself over the result
mission of the constitutional question in
volving the right of city treasurers and
commissioners of the revenue to sue
ceed themselves in Office. 1t is a pity
that this is so. 1t is pity that so pro-
minent newspaper as our Richmond
contemporary finds itself unable to dis
passionately discuss the merits of the
case. 1t is pity that it beclouds the
the issue by drastic denunciation of the
methods of those who do not hold its
views that it lashed the last General
Assembly with the whip of its ire, be-
cause it dared to enact the re-submis-
sion measure, and characterizes the
members of that body as having been
tools of Plunderbund, obedient to the
crook of its greedy fingers, and kissing
] u