Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-15
In Favor of a constitutional Con-
yeutiOn.
Franklin, Va.

notice in your issue OF yesterday your
leader about Conventions Enough.
fully agree with you that II Is not az
visable to have national Democratic
convention this year. 1t Is not necessary
10 20 into details as TO why. particularly
as that is not the subject / wish to write
upon. My object in writing this com
municatlon ia TO combat your view 10 the
effect that IL is not wise TO order con-
stitutional convention next spring. VIII
not consider the question as 10 Wbethsi
a constitutional convention IS needed UT
not. The existence OF such necessity you
admit. and II is the consensus or OPINION
that our Legislature can never frame
| laws to make our expenses come WITHIN
! our income until the whole framework
! Of our government shall have Deeh re-
constructed. and that the question OF
election laws will never cease troubling
| the State until IL shall have been settled
once for all by constitutional provision.
The sole question that | shall consider
here is whether or not this is propitious
time to call a convention. / fully believe
| that It is a better time than we will nave
again, and, begging your pardon for say
! ing so. ] have not seen one good arsu-
ment that you have advanced to support
! the position that you have taken tnat TINS
| is an inauspiciOus time.
remember that about three years
ago your Issue Of January 80, 1870,
when the question was being agitated
by the Legislature. that | addressed
communication to you (Which you puD-
lished), urging that a convention DC
! called at that time. and you theh
urged the same objection that you no"
urge-to wit. that you are afraid 10
make the venture. for fear the conven-
ton. IL held. would be against us. Now
| suppose that Legislature had at that
time ordered vote on the subject ana
q. convention had been ordered by the
people. why ere this time the conVen-
| tion would have been held, and, look
| ing at the political events OF the pas'
three years no one can doubt thal q
| large majority of it would have been
composed Of our best material-ylz
Democrats. | believe that If the De
! mocratic party could not be wrecked
in this State during the past three years
that it stands in no danger OF De-
ing wrecked during the next thre'
years. Last fall we had no money II
our hands, but our enemies mad an uh-
limited supply; we were weakened by
the popular prejudice against four years
Of so-called Democratic national al
ministration. which had brought nc
good; we had tremendous (claimed) dis
affection from our ranks including
the highest official in the State anc
vet with ali these troubles, we wof
by a handsome figure. and had II peer
an election for Legislature, or Tor
constitutional convention, we wouie
have had a very safe majority in eithel
body. If such was then the result
handicapped as we were, can there %
any question about what the result WI
bs. say eighteen months from no"
when the Republican party SHAH nave
demonstrated las it will demonstrate
its total inability and Discrimination e
do what It has prophesied ana promise
it would do. and, therefore, the reaction
against it shall have set in?
| | tell you the Democratic party OF Uni
State will be stronger by far eighteel
months from to-day than 1t Is to-uay
and 1t is now already stronger than II Wa
last November. If we fail to have con
vention now. then we could hardly haV
one under four years, and we had pete
avail ourselves of the strength we nav
to-day than to trust 10 that we may nav
four years from now. That a cohs1itu
tional change is coming I'm the compare
lively near future is inevitable and IN
longer we postpone It the greater the dan
|
element I'm the State.
Won seem never TO want it until yo'
can be absolutely certain that the pes
element Democrats) will control IL. WI
the time ever come when you VIII, or can
know that fact In advance beyond posi-
bility of doubt? OF course 1t cannot 10
CIV that an opposition convention coul
enact a new election law and redistrict IN
state for members OF the Legislature an
for Congress. l ask If an opposition IL
oisiature could not do both these Things
and do you doubt that II they get u
power they would do them 49,
If a convention be ordered In May IN
present Legislature could, and proDapi
would he called together in extra sessloi
~ nrovide for holding the convention, an
70 district the State for election Oh u
noamhers of the convention. Tnen nav
tha election for members Of the CONVEX
tion about the last of May, 1880 anu Il Vi
Darocrats could not elect majority
10 members at that time, then 90 ~
believe ii will ever elect nlaJorlly. 80
Democrats of the State are looking 10 "a
Democratic party for rellet from '"o o'
of the Underwood Constitution. tito
I do not blame the Stauhloh oois 80
for not having declared on TINS SUI. ~.
tho whole public mind was HiiSN ~ -
time with DdLlOi4dt is'NNNf
not calmly consider this question. ~
vyiIl be no other convention OF the par
before the election in May, and hence
believe it is the duSJ Of the whole DEM
cratic press and Of every prominent Den,
crat 10 use all their exertions TO nave u
election in May 20 in favor OF cohvei
tion. DO this. and if IL be ordered tn'
let us make a fight such as only virgin
. democrats can make, and by the she'
force of the righteousness OF our caus
elect the best men in the state to con
nose that convention. We can new
know i'm advance that we can DO IN
with more certainty than we know IL
day. The Democratic tide Is Desihhli
70 rise and ii will be flood tide now I
ar least three years. Now Is the time Il
ms to act in this matter. Don't let us
fainthearted, but let US determine TO IA
and do. IL We wait until we are rep
dated for not daring to do the risl
thing. and another element secures o.
legislature. then where will we be-
, - J. c. PARKER.
r The Iron Rings OF 1913.