Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-10-29
HAS VIRGINIA OUTGROWN HER
CONSTITUTION, ASKS POLL LARD

Legislature. with the exception OF
tho Corporation Commission.
There Is real merit in the position
that the Governor has not sufficient
authority under tn" Constitution.
The right To hire and fire" the
heads OF AL departments. lodged I'm
the chirf executive. is now CLAIMED
10 De essential TO busincss-likc adj
miniStrhtiun. Many leading stu
dents OF state government i'm this
country believe that til" Governor
should hay. powers like those Of tho
President and should appoint tho
Treasurer. tho Auditor. tho Attorney
General. tn" Superintendent Of Pub
lie Instruction. the Commissioner of
Agriculture and the secretary OF the
omnonwcalth. without discussing
the wisdom of such Il move. IL Is
Sufficient 10 say. for the PURPOSES
OF THIS article. tina; no convention
is necessary to bring about this
cha"se' but that amendments could
be submitted for the purpose
Stntr Iunrd Of I:ducution
There is wild" complaint concern
ing the composition Of the state
h"ard OF Education. ana the General
ASSEMBLY of 1872" proposed an amend
m'nt by which this matter should hc
left entirely within the control of
the General Assembly. The last sos-
sion. however. failed to concur, and
the amendment viii no, be submitted
20 the people. While this board has
functions which may bc called LEXIS
IatiN.. It's rules and regulations are
at all times subject to the General
Assembly, which may revise. amend
or repeal the same" (Scctlon 1879
The composition Of ia. Stat. Board
OF Education WAS NXcd In the Con-
stitution on the theory that the man
hecment OF Ia. public school svst.r,
should not b. subject to the vlcissi-
tnh"s OF partisan strife. II the COM
position Of the board We're left 10 the
General Assembly and political con-
tr"l "i that body should change. the
General Assembly could sweep away
tn" board and make the educationa.
system political asset TO tn. party
IN power IL was the purpose Of the
trainers OF the Constitution to remove
the schools as FAR as possible from
parsisan politics. This is q wise rro-
Tision, and when partisanship runs
high. as II did in Keadjuster DAYS.
IT. wisdom Will he more apparent.
SitutionS. like ships. are built to
weather storms
Session of Assembly Too Short.
Th"s" who have had experience I'm
legislation claim that the sessions Of
the General Assembly are too short:
that III" business al the Stat. can
not b. transacted within Il Sixty-day
session. and that IL is absurd 10 re-
luirc bil!s 10 he read on three diff
ierent calandar days in each house
Amendments changing these = pro
visions have already been submitted
10 the people and defeated by an
overwhelming vote. But 1T should he
h"fne IN mind that the General AS
s"inh!y Itself can. by a thre"-iIfths
vote. extend It's session. not exceed
ihS thirty>hays. making total ~
nlaetE days. yet the General Assem-
o!y has never seen 1T to take ad-
tantaGe Of this provision. From this.
II would seem that tn. General As
senth!y itself is not impressed with
the importance OF "A longer session.
Other Defects.
AS To III" suggestion that the ses-
sion Of the General Assembly should
be annual. and the number OF MEM
hcrs OF each house reduced: that all
local legislation should be left 10 To-
cal authorities. and that the Cover
nor.s salary should b. more Than So
GOO 1t l. only necessary to say that
these propositions ar. simpi. and
easily understood, and IL the suy-
g"sted changes should be deemed
desirable. they can be easily accom-
pushed by specially submitted
amendments. This method o, amend
m-n' is not necessarily EXPENSIVE
The cost consists OF the publication
OF The proposed amendments. and
while much money has in the past
been thrown away in Unnecessary
"a wise economy was
adopted with reference To the pub
LEGATION or the last amendments pro-
posed. These amendments affected
SIX sections of the Constitution. and
covered about i've newspaper col
umns. yet the COS; was only s2.745s0
rs against the cost OF :9,;s9if for