Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-04-11
The Hand of ESau.
Farm Life Bulletin.


The General Assembly of Virginia
has given to the state fine exhibition
of an ancient drama entitled: 1.-THE
Voice of Jacob but the Hand of Esau. -
They have been exceedingly busy. Long
days have been spent in discussion and
the passage of bills. The voice of pa
triotism has been loud upon the air and
conspicuous have been those who have
preached the doctrine of the rights of
the dear people. But after all that
they have done, after all this Jacob
voice, the hand of Esau is much in evil
dence. What have they done to rid the
state of the stencil of convict labor? A
mere compromise. Six hundred con-
victs will still be leased to the highest
bidders and still the evils of the system
will abide, in spite of the fact that en-
lightened prison reform and humantari-
an methods are finding adoption in other
states.
What has been done about the pure
elections law drawn by that eminent
lawyer, Judge A. A. Phlegar, and offer
ed by Messrs. Crockett and Chalkley?
Notwithstanding that Virginia has no
adequate pure election and corrupt prac-
tices act, Notwithstanding the fact that
progressive sentiment everywhere is
demanding and securing laws that will
keep elections beyond the peradventure
of doubt and secure to the electorate
the right of the majority to rule, this
worthy bill slumbers undisturbed 10
committee.
What has been done concerning the
West bill which would require all officers
operating under the fee system to make
public at the end of each year the
amount of the fees they have received
as the compensation of their offices? 1t
sleeps the sleep that many interpret as
meaning death. And what is the obiec-
ton to it? 1t does not propose to abol-
ish the the fees and place all offices up
on salary basis, as economy and effici-
ency would suggest and as large por-
ton of the citizenship of the state de-
sire; 1t only proposes that the employ
ees of the people shall tell the people
how much of their money they have re-
ceiVed for their services. What posi-
bic injustice could be done an Office
holder by such requirement? The fact
of the business is that the fat fee Offices
are held by men of power in the organi-
cation of the dominant political party.
Around each court house in the counties
there is strong political ring and these
politicians have more influence with the
committee considering the West bill
than the people of the state have. The
papers almost unanimously have clam
ored for a businesslike adjustment of
compensation and there is a strong pop
ular demand for it, but the powers that
have long been, and still be, prefer to
legislate for the benefit of the office
holders trust. The West bill sleeps in
committee, while many other bills of
fered later have been reported and act
ed on; but the people in the state are
not sleeping and one of these days they
will want to know why this hand of
Esau should be so apparent in the work
of the legislature.
And what about the Byrd primary
bill? Speaker Byrd. finely interpreting
the demand of the public and recogniz-
ing the scandals that have besmirched
the conduct of primary elections too
often IN the past, devised and offered
bill by which the primary could be con-
Quoted under the same safeguards as a
general election, by which the expendi-
lures of candidates could be limited, and
by which the appointment of election
officials should pass from the hands of
partisan political committees and fall
into the hands of the regular electoral
boards. Did it pass? There was much
talk before the session about the need |
of such law. The people generally de-
manded it, the press supported it, the |
house of representatives passed it by a |
large majority, but when it struck the /
senate committee 1t was reported in |
such shape as that its author would not |
recognize it in the road on bright sun
shine day. AS reported by this COM
mittee it limits the expenditures of can
but does not forbid friends
from spending all they please. 1t places
the naming of election officials just
where it has always been, and just
where the machine politicians desire it
to continue, in the hands of the local