Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-05-22
constitutional Convention.

| to vote on the 9th day of this month
upon the question of calling It Con-
bstitutional Convention to alter and
amend the existing organic laws Oh
the State. This is very important
end grave question and we should
give it our most careful and serious
consideration. I think to call con-
vention at this time would be unwise
and impolitic-it is dangerous to 40
no. We may fall on evil rather than
good. There are as some contend,
defects in the constitution which L
admit, but these defects can with
very little cost to the State be re-
moved by the Legislature. Why not
amend and alter in this way? a con-
vention would cost the people in the
neighborhood of $15O,0O0. Where
would you get this amount of money
'from2 The treasury is empty, and
you would have either to borrow or
to tax the people to pay this ex-
pense. Neither Of these modes OF
raising money would be agreeable OF
satisfactory to the people. The chief
and principal argument Of those who
advocate IL call of convention Is
rhat the expenses of Virginia are e1
cessive and >extravagant and they
compare the expenses OF Georgia and
North Carolina with the expenses OF
she former State-some asserting
that Georgia, whose assessed value OF
real and personal property is about
the same as Virginiu, pays annually
y million dollars more than Virginia,
and others assert that Virginia pays
nearly as much as both Georgia and
North Carolina together. Where
they get their information l AIN not
prepared to say. We have but one
source of information and that IL
from the Auditors report. Upon this
source OF information we must rely
Sow we learn from Virginia Auditor s
report page 81, that the disburse-
1nents of the State of Virginia for the
year 1896 were 81, 400, 3O1.5S, including
criminal expenses, viz: %37S,291.l7.
rhe disbursements of the State OF
Georgia as shown Oh page Z, Comp,
iroler's report 1896, were 1884
$3.50, not including criminal e1'
oenses. Now it is but fair in~esti.
mating the disbursements of the two
States to deduct the criminal charges
of Virginia from the above estimate
criminal expenses in Georgia being
paid by the counties. Then we have
Virginia disbursements $1,000, 1O7.S0r
and Georgia disbursements $3,377,-
567 so. Thus showing that instead
OF Virginia paying 100000, as as
serted by some who advocate the
necessity of calling a convention
more than Georgia, she pays out
1858, 557 less. The great alleged dis
parity OF the expenses of these twc
States has been the chief and with
many the only argument to prove
the necessity of u convention. l will
here state that the assessed value OIL
real and personal property Of Vir-
yinia is $39S, $40, SAG; that of Georgia
1860, 99l ,423, which shows that the
assessment is larger in Virginia than
ia Georgia North Carolina pays less
sax than Virginia, but Virginia pays
for free schools S222,OO0 more thar
North Carolina; $4,000 more for the
support of the insane; 100000 more
for pensions and support of the lame
INDECENT and broken down soldiers Of
the late war, and $3O2,00 more in
terest on her public debt. This last
named item of expense is on us anc
we will have to pay it, convention OF
no convention.
Now we think that we have shown
by figures taken from true and val
liable source, and the only source Of
information accessible, that thit
great cry of extravaganza in Vir-
GINA as compared with Georgia il
misleading and unreliable, and there
fore should have no weight or inau
ence on the minds of the voters.
Mr.. Editor, | ain as much in favor
Of retrenchment and reform as any
man in the State, for pay very
neavy tax on what little property
possess. But when advocate re
trenchment and reform by calling
Convention, 1 will go slowly and
with caution. There is nothing GER
tain IN politics. Men politically are
fearfully uncertain in these latter
days If retrel chment in the public
expenditures are called for, let the
people look to those whom they send
20 the Legislature. They have charge
OF most all OF the appropriations, sal
aries OF officers, sc. They can if they
will economic in expenditures. Some
shere are who desire q Convention
shat the right of suffrage may be re
ssricted-that an educational test be
adopted-that no one shall vote un
less he CAN read. l do not believe
hat such measure would be adopt
ed if q Convention is called. 1t would
lake the high privilege of the cleo
tive franchise from many honest, in
dustrious and moral white men-mel
Of property-men, some of whom
have fought and bled in defence o.
the southwestern of the war, sim