Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-15
formed and not confirmed in their

| formed and not confirmed In their
crimes.
!. favor tho taking OF the convicts
out OF the pcnitcntiary and putting
them on the public roads AS soon as
present contracts will permit. retain
ing only such az cannot be worked
probably on roads aud employing them
for the States purposes only. and in
no event in competition with honest
labor.
Some Of thc changes in the cleo
ton laws advocated by me in my
campaign for Acknowledgement have
been adopted. II has been made a
crime for any election official. during
| the progress OF a primary. to attempt
20 influence voters for or against n
candidate: primary election officials
ar" now chosen as other election OIL
Gals. and courts have been given
jurisdiction TO grant relief to cant,i-
dhtcs in case Of fraud IN primaries.
Cur election officials. with rare en-
ccptions. are honest but must re-
ncmbcr that election laws arc not
Rude for honest officials, but for The.
dishonest. and that every election law
- bad which does not protect againS.
Tn" bad election official II Is wrong
that our laws should class willful and
deliberate fraud In elections as mere
mis- dcmcanors. punishable by small
fines. believe that such willful and
del beratc fraud is treason to III. State
AMI should be punished as Il felony.
WOULD PREVENT CORRUPT
PAYMENT or POLL TANE:S
Virginia has made marked pro-
gross in the administration Of her
election laws. but there is one in
sidious form OF bribery still prac-
ticed in some parts of the State.
Poll taxes are paid by the WHOLESALE.
by interested parties for the evident
purpose OF influencing the voters
whose taxes ar" paid for them This
should be prohibited and laws should
be passed which would facilitate de-
lection Of those engaged in this nrac-
tice.
| am opposed to nominations ard
elections by plurality vote True
democracy preSuppoSeS majority rule
and all officers should be chosen by
the vote OF the majority l.. there
fore. favor the preferential ballot. al
ready in acceptable use in many parts
OF the country.
believe in the initiative and ref
erendum as means Of maintaining
truly representative government. Ini-
alive by which fixed proportion OF
ihe people may propose laws for adop-
ton. and referendum by which the
people may, by Il majority vote veto
laws which they believe not to be In
&eeping with their interest
40 STAR-CHAMBER
SESSIONS OF COMMITTEES
My observation OF the work OF tho
General Assembly has led me TO be-
Ueve that legislators will bc moro
truly representative if all their pub
lie acts are in the open | am. there
Tore. opposed to secret sessions OF leg
,slative committees while engaged in
the consideration of pending bills for
II is in the committee room that the
important work of the General Assem-
bly, is done. There should be no Sc
crets as TO the attitude OF public ser
wants on public questions. and in as
much AS many important measures and
amendments never come for discussion
or recorded vote the floor of the
houses, and for the further reason that
IN UGH of the usefulness OF a member TO
his constituents Is dependent upon his
work in committee. all votes there
taken should be recorded and omen to
public inspection
Another menace to representative
government is the presence of paid
lobbyists in legislative halls 1t is
proper that every interest which may
be affected by Legislation should have
the right to employ n representative
TO present arguments 10 members of
the General Assembly, but such en-
ployment should not be secret Every
paid lobbyist should be required to
register, giving the name Of the per-
son or corporation employing him, and
stating what bill he is employed to
advocate or oppose. and this informa-