The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-16
THE CONFERENCE IN SESSION.
[coNCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE.

CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE.
ganization made o report through B. N.
Bell, of RoLkbridge, naming X. g. Muir
ray, OF Norfolk, permanent chairman,
and Col. j. L. Marye, of Lynchburg,
secretary. and all the representatives of
the newspapers present assistant secre-
taries. The following vice.presidents
were named, one from each Congre3-
sional district: j. w. G. Blackstone,
II. Davis. Eugene Withers, T. w. Scott,
R. e. Byrd, J. B. McCabe, Herbert
Peters, A. T. Witherow. The report
was unanimously adopted.
The chair then appointed the follow
Ing committee on resolutions, to whom
all resolutions should be referred
without debate: w. o. Hardaway,
Hon. John W. Daniel, w. II. Saunders,
r. t. Bsrham, Chas. D. Denit, B. N.
Bell, w. W. Berkeley and Thos. w.
Miller. Hon. j. Allen Watts was
called upon for an address, but no de-
clined, merely saying that he was
heartily in favor of the movement to
secure constitution. Col. George Carr
was called -or. but did not speak. On
motion OF w. o. Hardaway the confer
ence adjourned until $40 o'clock In the
parlors of the Ponce de Leon Hotel.
The Evening Session.
The evening session was called to
order by Chairman Murray at e:3O
o'clock in the parlors of the Ponce de
Leon Hotel. Capt. W. W. Berkeley,
chairman OF the committee on resolu-
lions, then submitted the following
Resolved, The conference OF Demo
Gratis, informally held at Roanoke to
consider the question of constitutional
convention, spectfully submit to their
follow citizens that, in their opinion,
the time Is now at hand when the people
OF this State must contemplate change
In their constitution or an increase Of
taxes.
The re~assessments of lands and per
sonal property will undoubtedly disclose
| great falling off in values; and with
existing charges upon the public treas
| ury, the present tax rate will, in all
| likelihood, prove sufficient to sustain
the public credit, our educational and
elemosynary institutions, reasonable
| provision for our wounded and disab
soldiers and enable US to bear at the
same time expenditures which are alike
impossible to be foreseen or avoided.
The people have long borne with the
| Underwood constitution not because
they liked It,, but because they were
weary OF agitation and had other Issues
to deal with; and now that it must come
| in conflict with their necessitits and is
| likely to result in increasing their bur-
dens, we deem 1t wise to recommend q
convention that will thoroughly revise
| that crude and unfit instrument and
give us constitution adapted to exist
ing exigencies and conditions.
| 1t has been nearly half century
since the people OF Virginia had the
| benefit of constitutional convention
composed of the sagacious and substan-
tial citizens who were identified with
them by every tie Of interest, and more
than half Of that time we have lived
under constitution framed by aliens
and out Of keeping with our changed
and revolutionized affairs. We are not
lacking in true and wise men who are
capable of graphing with all the prob-
lens we have to deal with and we have
all confidence that the people would
make sure OF their services.
Unless we take time by the forelock
and anticipate the difficulties which
difficulties will be enlarged and multi
piled. We therefore declare ourselves
In favor of constitutional convention
and respectfully recommend that the
| general assembly shall submit the ques-
ton of holding such a convention to the
| people just as soon as eXpedient in its
| judgment, all surroundings considered.
(Signed), w. W. BERKELEY,
w. O. HARDAwAY,
JNo. W. DANIEL,
BENNETT N. BELL,
CHAs. l. STEWART
WALTER Il. SAUNDERS,
R. 7. BARTHAM,
@. d. DENT.
In presenting the resolutions Captain
Berkeley made a strong and spirited
speech in their favor, in which he said
that the Underwood constitution was
framed and put upon the people OF Vir.
ginia by aliens as time when they
dared not to express thoir views. Cir
cumstances and exigencies surrounded
! the people that forced them to gu bmit
to wrongs and indignities that they have
borne as long as people possibly can
bear ouch wrongs, and now they as.
serted their rights and demanded con.
stitution in accord with the times. The
acts OF the chief executive, he said,
were being criticised, both privately and
publicly, by those who declared that his
action in regard to the militia was un.
warrantable. The constitution Is made.
quate to meet the condition of affairs.
We should have different constitution
under which we should have different