Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-01-18

TOO MANY POSITIONS
Minority in Legislature Alleges New
Offices Are Burdens on Taxpayers
of the State.


posed to the law under which retired
judges Of the Supreme Court of Ap,
peals are pensioned by the State, anc
has gone on record as favoring re-
peal of the law by this session OF
the General Assembly. 1t is the be-
lief of those who present Virginia's
minority party in the Legislature that
these judges should have acquired a
competency during their service on the
bench, and that, in pensioning them
the State is imposing an unnecessary
burden upon the taxpayers.
At the meeting last night, presid-
ed over by X. Lowry, and at
which Otto V. Pence acted as secre-
tary, the following statement was
adopted as expressive of the views of
the Republican caucus.
an Virginia in the last fifteen years
many new Offices have been created.
All Of them are appointive; none OF
them are elective. Many of these Of
fees, in the minds of the people, are
useless, and, in their judgment should
be abolished in the same way and by
the same authority by which they
were created. Farmers and business
men feel that the State is burdening
them with taxation, and that neither
the State nor the people derive benefit
sufficient to demand the taxes they
are now paying.
"Many people are making open cy.
pressions that the people, as whole,
are losing control of the affairs of the
State and are calling upon the most
intelligent people to give these gov
ernmental questions thoughtful con-
sideration.
Perhaps the pensioning of Sup
rene Court judges has brought from
the people more Objectionable COM
ment than any recent act of the Vir-
ginia Assembly. AS members Of the
minority party of the Virginia Assem-
bly,, we somewhat hesitate to speak
Of these delicate questions, but realize
that we represent very able consti-
tuency. We think it our duty to voice
their sentiments on these great ques-
tions, and we shall say that our. con-
stituency knows the dignity of the
high office of Supreme Court justice
and honors these officials as much as
any people within the boundaries Of
the Commonwealth.
But considering the financial con-
dition of the State, we believe we are
not able to pension these honorable
officials and believe, further, that the
judges should have accumu-
lated sufficient funds to live in ease.
We ask that the bill providing for the
retired Supreme Court justices be re-
pealed by this session of the Virginia
Assembly and pray that our desires
may be granted"
Senator Thornton, of Fairfax, is in
favor of leaving it to the dischetion
Of the court as to whether or not an
eX-convict shall be sentenced to serve
five years in addition to the time he
would othe erwise be sentenced on a
second conviction of felony. He
also thinks it best to let the court
decide whether, on third conviction
he shall go to the penitentiary fol
life. Section 1907 of the code, provid
ing for penitentiary term on the third
conviction of petit larceny, he thinks
should be repealed. Three bills, cover
ing these questions of criminal pro-
cedure, were introduced yesterday b,
! the Senator from Fairfax.
Mr.. Thornton also introduced bill
to amend and re-enact section 3905 OF
the Code, relative to the punishment
! of convicts sentenced to confinement
of the penitentiary once before IL
the United State to like punishment
The General Assembly of Virginl'
will be reduced just half. its present
size, if two amendments TO the constl
tuition fathered by Senator 7. c. Jor
dan, of Staunton,. shall meet the ia