Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-04-17
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL II. 1896.

The same politicians who have pressed the
movement forward to its present stage are 60
ing to do all they can to induce the State Dem
ocratic Convention, when it meets at Staun'
ton, to commit the Democratic party to the
calling of this Constitutional Convention
Richmond Times.
1t Is rarely that we see our esteemed CO.
temporary the Times get so far away from
the facts as the above. The politicians
are not pressing the movement for a con-
stitutional convention; on the contrary
they are quietly opposing it, except IN one
case where one of them who openly opposes
1T, publicly suggested that the stanton
Democratic convention should adopt reso-
tions limiting las far as resolutions could
do it) the power of such convention. 1t
is the people, not the politicians. who want
a constitutional convention, and they know
what they want and what they want 1t Tor
They are after reducing the state and
county expenses which they have to pay
by the sum of 81 $685. 900 annually, which
the experience of North Carolina has shown
them can be done. The mass of the tax
PAYERS of Virginia who are bearing thls
burden will care little what either the he
publican OF Democratic State conventions
at Staunton have to say about 1t. line
proposition that the Democratic conyen-
ton should take a hand in it by resolutions
endorsing the holding Of constitutional
convention. did not come from those who
InGo fhaU
desired to make it party question; for II
is purely one of economy in government
lessening of expenses and reduction in the
number of office holders. They are not
after the railroads OF corporations. They
know that almost every railroad OF lmpor'
lance in the State is in the hands OF q
receiver EXCEPT, perhaps, one that Is mol
and has not baen for years paying any dlVl
dend on It's common stock. They certainly
dc not want 10 do anything to further
cripple these Important interests. AS fol
the other bugOear that haunts the Times
the qualification Of suffrage, we suppose
there are few Intelligent men in the State.
not engaged on that able newspaper, Wh@
S7llhYe nOC ny LUIS tllilC oCCu JIG 1APOA e"iO>
SS5f creating a more intelligent body oi stuff
Tagans than Y irginia now has: but if VT
4 knew in advance that ne change would bs
made in the voting qualification we should
still advocate constitutional convention
I rs measure of financial relief to our bur
dened people, And this we believe is the
/ feeling OF all who are actively advocating
one.
II the Times proposes to act in line will
ssthe best-the vital interests OF the people
E0f Virginia, ii will have to recast its posi-
Hen on the constitutional convention and
40 focate it. It can do nothing but injurt
It's infiucnce by it's present opposition to it
neadju sterisn swept this State on thu
simple proposition to get rid of paying tb'
annual interest on SIS, 900, 600 of It's public
debt. which would have been a saving OF
S10s, 900 year Still more will the propo
sitien for a constitutional convention
sweep this Sta now that the people have
seen by the exp srience of a neighbor State
! that 81 .9S2 ,000 annually can be saved b,
one.