The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-10
Views Of the
Virginia Editors
How to Revise the system.

Now that the election * over and
i II" ,, YARN nor help can bc done amy
noes being contcadcd for. we al. de-
sirous OF hearing from those who
GE, calm they can easily solve the fee
versus salary system a. il exists to-
day in Virginia This has been ono
~ rhs si Issues -, IN Tho eampagn Of this
nsht in the primaries
Only a short time since We read
an odltorial III GONE OF our exchanges
ton was easy. Wo now say. let us
have r. We wish to make i, plain
INN, tnis IS not asked in any faceiious
SSplrit nor manner, hut with n sincere
desire to learn the best methods The
courier was one Of the first papers In
me state 10 advocate the salary sys-
tom. We have continued TO believe this
me proper principle. hut. a tho same
I'm. W. recognize the many ana Sc
flous difficulties In the way OF ar
riNinS ~ a just solution OF the DIM
cu.lrliy. -- ilackstonc Courier.
ai+ In" paliy i,ress also recognizes the
old system which has fastened itself
On The state. especially Us many men
OF political influence are opposed 10
any change in existing methods. Rut
Where ther" Is a viii there Is a way
We DO not believe that the zee system
legislature at this time. But here is
4 clue To til. solution in our manner
"i eonl,G;msat attorneys for the Com
monw.alth: They are allowed as com
pcnshtion fees up To Il prescribed limit.
ana II IS expressly provided in the
each county and city in the State shall
receive. the surplus to be covered into
me treasury, IT is now conceded by
form that this method must be the
btsiS Tor the new system. until n bet
Ter plan can be devised. 1t is proposed
10 extend this system TO other depart
nentS OF the service. The fee officers
could be put on a salary basis and the
Zee collections could he used TO com
a hn Il
into tho public treasury Some pro
pose TO cover tho entire surplus i'm
we think that the surplus should ac-
rue 10 me county or city in which 1t
u, ,s,, acc9inulatod. That is :: matter how
As Tor the Keepers OF jalls. II is pro
posed 10 make them responsible to Il
board and to abolish the hcaitlcss sys-
tenn of putting n premium upon the
starvation OF prisoners:
As Tor Justices Of the peace there
arc too many Of them. and there is
need OF radical reforms in that direc-
ton. Some have proposed a board Of
magistrates in each county and city,
with one chief magistrate and the utli-
eIs responsible more or less to him In
oldcn times there were such boards
20 be = member Of II. But the main
thing in this connection is TO devise
litigation. As the case now stands
amybody can go TO {! justice and sue
teMt, and as soon as the warrant is
ISSUED the fees begin To pile ,ip The
case may he trivial and trining, ana
may DO dismissed without much ado,
but the fees remain TO be paid That
Is one OF the greatcst nuislnc.s of
INC fee system, and Our multitude of
petty laws seem to have been enacted
10 promote it's interests. That system
Should be rooted out as far as prac-
ticahlc.
we do not deny the difficulties in
the way of this reform. We have never
denied them, and we pointed them out
long ago, after having gone over the
situation with Governor Mann But
there are no difficulties that cannot bo
overcome. 50 far az eliminating the
principal evils OF the fee system is
concerned. "Circumlocution." as Dick
ems showed In his. day. can easily md
a way not to do H." ana .circumlocu-
ton can defeat tho proposed reform
Of the fec system But il the friends
OF reform be permitted TO draft II bill
OF revision and the Legislature will
pass it the root OF, the evil can and
VIII be OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES News
Press.