The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-16


worthy work Of retrenchment, be IL
municipal, state or National, Will be op-
posed by some crib-fed ofice-holders. and
not only VIII they be confronted by op-
position from this source. but sacrifices
must be made, even though the guiIlotine
iaI with Keen edge on our own necks.
II we have too many Offices let us
abolish them; If the machinery Of our
state government Is cumbersome and out
OF joint. let Us moderniza IT, We should
be patriotic enough, masnanimous
enough. and self-sacrihcing enough TO
sink self In the noble effort TO do the
most good for the greatest number.
The conditions that now exist in Vir-
ginia. and those that obtained when the
Underwood fossil was fastened on our
people. are as differeat as those con-
ditons that existed in France after the
French Revolution and those that now
confront the people of that new repub-
lie.
THE Srw VIRGINIA.
We have a new Virginia to-day and
while we cherish her past and love her
institutions and her traditions, and not
for a continent crusted with diamonds
would we blot out one page Of her his
tory, yet Virginia is not what she was
twenty-five years ago. Then the sword or
Then Virginia was Impoverished, and
penury was the heritage Of every home.
Ruthless war had left its red mark on
every door post in our State and In the
South. Every tradition and every en-
vironment had been upTooted by the mar
tial hand of war. Our homes were desc
late, our fields impoverished; our cur
rency repudiated. our slaves freed ana
given the ballot; our citizenship, yea, our
4 a
least, our people disfranchised. France
was not more desolate when Bismarck
named enc price of her freedom, and
Russia was not more scOurged when the
first Napoleon sat in the palace of Pc
trosky.
Such. briefly was the condition Of Vir-
ginia when the so-called band of pa
triots assembled in the city Of Richmond
and formulated the Underwood constl-
tutiCn.
il is too familiar history for me to
dwell upon As to the calibre OF the con-
vention that formulated and evolved this
constitution. composed Of ingrates, aliens
aud carpet -baggers what did Virginia
have 10 do with it2 In truth she had 10
part o. lot in II, and vet. for twenty
five years she has hugged this bastard
daughter TO her maternal breast, ana
BEEN forced by her unpatriouc soAs TO
claim IT as her legitimate offspring
The new Virginia needs new con
stitutiou. our State has not remained
urprogressive and shftless I'm the quar-
ter Of a century 81 ice the creation OF
the Underwood constitution. Her ropu-
lation has increased half a million. cities
have sprung up all over the State. Schools
and churches crown her hills and nes-
tie I'm her valleys. Her resources are
many Her geographical POSITION her
soil her climate, her history. ana her
noble people will make and shape her
future destiny greater than her past
glory
CONSTITUTION Up TO DATE.
This is a pushing. progressive. fast age.
We need a constitution and laws fully
mn 10 date The spirit Of the age de-
mands that We no longer block the march
of progress our state government is TOO
extensive. our courts are too slow
Causes lingCr on our docket and prison
ers languish in our jails. Our criminal
expenses are enormous and our state
offices are legion.
The present constitution is out OF joint,
and out of time. and out OF tune. TO
those who fear the calibre or the poiu-
cal cornplexion of the men who compose
the constitutional convention, l have this
to say
Can n constitutional convention In any
event or under any circumstances be IN
ferior 10 the unpatrotic, mongrel crew
that composed the convention that Tor
nulated the Underwood constitution? Nlr-
e.,ria is Democratic She went $1,000
strong for our present Governor, and
only one congressional district IN the
State went Republican last fall, ana thal
district has frequently gone Repunho"h
before. | have an abiding faith and un-
Ia IannPrgGX
the old state. But believe II 10 be the
rlain duty of the Democratic party TO
make this question a clean-cut sharply
defined issue i'm the fan elections.
The rank and file Of our party are de-
rnanding a more economical administTa-
tion of state affairs, lower taxes, speed
Tor tustico. fewer Offices. and more eff
cient service The mutterings OF discon-
tent will speedily grow into a nor ana
that clamor into a political revolution
stranding our party. unless the leaders
OF this grand old party hearken ana heed
tbis demand on the part Of the people
sor a constitutional convention that
meets the exigencies of the hour
rnr ONLY SOUTHERN STATE
Rpt | wish 10 say now and here, though
the party may ignore TINS demand anu
may not heed the call from the people,
that I am still a Democrat. why shouid
NOT the Democratic party, the party OF
tho peoplc. a friend of the oppressed. the
marty OF jefferson. old i'm years ana tull
of honors. why should not our party
cor,e roblv &c the rescue. and litt from
an onpressed and long-sunering people
this antiquated. inadequate constitution,
under which we have lived for almost
three decades
Virginia is. / believe, the only southern
state save one Tennessee lnAt mas i'ol
changed and modernized It's ORG tnic law
within the last ten or tlfteen years ana
can n De said that there are NOT Nv
,n,, Nireinians who, I'm convention as
sar,blod could improve and better our
.o,st,tution. give relief TO the people ana
,.,,l,ce the expenses OF our state govern
mo Who then. has the termerity TO
60 ,,de erestimate the wisdom, the pa
.r,otism and the legal learning OF inc
'a,'o, cons Of Virginia. as TO assume Tor
a moment that our states interest Nou'a ,
no teonardized or IN any way enuahseteu
NV the assembling OF a eons''uoo"a'
Now i'm conclusion, again welcome
-, 80 this conference ana 10 our city
Stoy this praiseworthy work mere hau-
s,iratcd be felt in the renotesl Vo'"e''
of this grand old State
srNAToR DANlEr SPEAKS.
While the committee on ORGANIZATION
was consulting. senator John w Dahiei
was loudly called for. He came TO the
"''' - -. q. opaech of abOut thirty