The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-27
THE ROANOKE CONFERENCE.
Hon. W. R. Staples, H. St. G. Tucker, and
Other Prominent Democrats Expected.
VIEWS OF THESE GENTLEMEN.
Some of Them Non-Committai rs Z" t"0
Policy OF Calling "a constitutional Oo"-
vsntion-attorney. General Scott
Hopes 60 be There.

Hopes TO be Ihore.
ROANOKE. VA. April p -Special'-ie-
sponscs to the call for conference oi
ahe friends Of the movement for Con
s,l,pfjonal Convention continue 70 be re-
ccived by Mr. W. 0 Hardaway' ior inc
committee. and there Is every reason 10
believe that there VIII be large ana
representative gathering The commit
,e ia in recent OF a letter from General
ssasscneer Agent IS. Is. Bcviii, OF the
Norfolk and Western railroad. stating
that a rate will be offered based on or
about one fare and a third for the round
trim 10 Roanoke and return, for ali per-
sons who desire 10 attend the conference
Among the prominent men VINO nave
signifcd their intention OF being present
are Judge Waller r. Staples. Hon. Harry
81. George Tucker. Hon. Marshall Me-
Coruick Eppa HuntOn. Jr.. Eugene Nllh-
iers. of Danville. who made "a night IN the
Legislature at the last session Tor
conventions James Hay, member OF the
legislature from Madison county X d.
Washington. Of Westmorciand county,
J. ". Bausell, editor of the Lebanon
News. Of Russell county; g. I lsraei,
editor OF the Shenandoah Argus, FRANK
Nelson. OF Campbell county; j. NJ. hodsin'
OF Bowling Green; kedd, OF BeaNer
Dam. s. HattOn. Of Portsmouth, ChailVs
Hall Davis, of Petersburg; and Joseph
@ Fiveash, Of the Norfolk Public Leds-
er.
ArTonxKY-GESEBAL SCOTT.
Attorney-Genoral j. Taylor Scott writes
that nc Will attend. if not deferred by
professional and public duties
The following extracts from the Ict-
tiers received show the general tenor oil
The majority Of the responses Which lhe
committee is receiving;
camm pattoson, OF buckingham coun-
ty. a prominent member of the Leslsla-
lature. writes. Il am hearuly III l"'V'
of the call for constitutional ConVeh-
tion. and / win certainly attend the koa-
noke meeting next month, If my proies-
sional engagements VIII permit ne
present existing status of affairs is be-
coming intolerahle. and the material pro-
eress of the state Of Virginia ls' ana mas
been. seriously retarded by the present
execrabfe Constitution under when we
live II Is not now, nor ever was sun
ed TO the needs of our people. II was
not the work of Virginia people, Dut OF
their enemies, and as time passes IL pt-
comes more and more burdensohe.
healthy public sentiment demands
change. and the sooner II IS hiadc, @ t"c
better IL will be for the prosperity Oh our
people ,.o,,,
Air los. w Southan, senator from
Amelia and Prince Edward, says: ouI
urcsent Constitution. as might nave p'oh
expected from the character ana cV'n-
iplexlon OF the majority Of us iIaihvtS - 10
not lat all suited 10 the neeuH OF ''0
lpfopie of this Commonwealth anu ill.,, .'.1,,s
"a my opinion. be adapted 10 tnoee s.,,,. nesns
faf.as early a day az possible. lhe bfiiNs
80 our ueouio requires that there shoulu
he some restriction in the iibh, ., 80,
frare. This is a crying necessity, asst" ~
,nerc is something 10 be changed III 'le
, 'ne!e and method of our courts or
,iaa The dilatoriness Of the proceuuie 80
-. 20 r,,, mind. intolorable. am he0Iu
-, q, s..nnathv with the movement anu
I'm ~ nossible, attend the cohieie'Oo NJ NJ
be held I'm your city. Ana / VIII "o Ga ,l
n can 10 induce other good DehloVI"'9 ~
do the same"
Ain. BARToN's VIEWS.
MFR. r. T. Barton, of Wincnes'e'' i.e,, vow, CIV
xxell-known author says ,..ars
many reasons, / nave p'," ,"a,t,,,fsonal
Ia an, now Am favor of Cohsii'u'oli"i
Convention. provided we ca" ~
biy sure OF two th'nss' art irtol-
s1r,ret That the properly anu
,,rence of the State will be aple u '0'
troll IT. 1900. of office Of the
..,.l,tt and Court of Appeals Juus'9
saacntlv elected. should not he dist", d,'t ',.v
- ciynization depends upon the n's.
-, ,,.o,,id | think, result rom d H'
i,a,oe of iudgcS. Wouu I'm, ,,.t,
col the conference tiNed lor ""s ,,'
ru, n comes at a time when an r.
cially busy with my 'O"'"'
a. will be impossible. ,,.,o,,. s.I
= eeear. "A lawyer Of Hampton.
sce,re IN saw that l am heartily III ldNo'
80 a convention 0f The people AT 'no 80"
u, ,oss,hlo date TO revise ana amehu
nur rreseat state ConstituVo. -'e'i"9
asi6e all other questions az ol mi,'oi ,,s.
nortancc thereto, public poiiey anu p"''''
Yrrals tn,perativcly demand reNlsloh on
na'''.s -, ~ suffrage. and the proper
nuslinaction Of this great preroSa'fe "i
e,,,,crshlp. Tho importance OF TINS Hu'S
.ton alone Is sufficient TO JUSTIFY the Vos'
~ the proposed convention. II - Wv @
one great vital question or 'he % %noul
TINT rises I'm transcendent lnpO' e.,to s.,'t y
high above every other QueSuo" oi '''''N
politics.. .oe - cuic,or
,,ar,o member OF the Legislature, anu
f,tera of Senator Martin: 81 am neaiuE
a, sVmpathy with this movement anu
hone TO be able to get to Roanoke MAY
15th." mt.
81, viii give me pleasure To attend the
conference upon the important question:
~ holding a constitutional conNenuoh III
your city on the 18th Of May next
pr. rmnpY. OF cHARIoTlr.
Dr. A. :. Priddy. a member or the
ufovse of Delegates from Charlotte co9n-
~: II am IN hearty sympathy win TINS
tnovement. and will do my best Tor inc
announcement Of public sentiment III
that direction.
Thomas w. Russell. a lawyer Of Acco-
mac Courthouse: II am. for many I'M
portant reasons. heartily In favor OF hold
Ing a constitutional convention, and VIII
be I'm the city OF Roanoke for conference
on the Hath OF May
Graham Claytor, lawyer and chairman
of the Democratic Executive Committee
of Bedford county: - heartily concur
with YOU In your views. and shan en-
deavor TO meet YOU and your commit
Zee In ihe city OF Roanoke on the 18th
Thomas ~. Ransom. a lawyer of Staun-
ton: II quite agree with YOU that u Is
high time for Virginia 10 discard some
Of the cumbersome and expensive ma
chinqrv OF government With which We
have 20 long been burdcncd. and TO
adopt such improvements as are fully
abreast OF the progress of tho age. You
have done we'll to set this bah la motion
and though not n politics, | shall Try