Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-03-27
.AccoMAc COURT HOUSE, Va.
SATURDAY, MARCH 81, 1897.
entered at the PostoGice at Accomat
Q. H.. Va. SIS second-elass matter

anu previous issues Oh Clle EN- NIX
PRISE, however convincing they may
have been TO others, have not con-
WINGED us of the necessity for a Con-
stitutional Convention at this time,
or shaken our belief that it would be
both costly and dangerous. We may
be wrong in the conclusions we have
arrived at, after a long and thought
full contemplation OF the subject, but
il we are, we regret to have to say,
that Mr. Parsons has advanced no
argument to convince us of our
error. Having no axe TO grind in the
matter,we not only are willing ito be
convinced against our WILL but it
would be pleasure to us TO change
our views, if convinced, that Il Con-
stitutional Convention would be con.
ducive to the best interests of the
people, We briefly submit that he
has not advanced one idea showing
the necessity for a convention. In
reply 10 our first article, ii will be re-
membered, that he met our inquiry,
how the great saving could be made
to the Commonwealth in the event 4
convention was held, by lodging the
question and pointing us TO Georgia
and asking then as he does now, why
Georgia is governed al so much less
expense than old Virginia. 1t would
have been just as pertinent for him
to inquire why some States in the
Union have no debt at all, and to
have given as empty an answer as he
did in regard TO Georgia. If MI.
Parsons could dispense with the gilt
tering generalities, of which he is so
fond, and get down into the details
By comparison Of the expenses of
the two States, by showing us how
like Georgia we could cut down ex-
expenses if convention was held, we
might be brought 10 favor il, but it
is asking TOO much in these hard
times for Virginia to spend $3.50, 900
or more for convention to find out
what way Georgia saves her money,
without knowing whether we could
do it or not. For instance, Virginia
spends over million of dollars for
educational purposes, over $500, 1000
for the care Of lunatics-if Georgia
spends less for these purposes, would
Mr.. Parsons begin TO retrench in
these matters: Are the criminal ex-
penses less in Georgia than Virginia?
He has not shown it. II he ignores
these and like details in regard to
Georgias finances, where is the force
of his argument when he holds up TO
US Georgia: And if Mr.. Parsons
should get down to details on these
matters, it is to be hoped, that he
will be more accurate in his figures
and not tell us as he doesin this issue
Of the paper, that the difference in
the interest charges of Georgia and
Virginia is $1SS,106 when if the
interest charge, OF Georgia, as he al
leges is $3SG,974, and that of Virginia,
according to the report of Auditor
Marye, is STA, 165, the difference, as
every schoolboy ought to know, is
not $1SS, LOG, but 1927, 191. Of course
he did not intend to make misrepre-
sensations in the matter. We prefer
to believe, that in his zeal for rounded
periods and poetical hourishes, that
he has innocently mixed his figures
of speech with figures of another
kind. Much ado about nothing,
surely, is the thrust which Mr.. Par.
sons attempts to make at US, for
being opposed to convention, be-
cause friend of the Office holders
Is he so ignorant as not to know, that
the terms of everyone now holding
Office would expire, if a convention
was held before its proceedings could
be put into operation, except those
of the Judges of the Court OF
Appeals and about one year OF
the terms of circuit judges
Abolish useless offices says Mr.. Par
sons, and SO say we, but why take
the more expensive way of doing il
through convention, when changes
in them can be as equally well Sc
cured, without material expense, by
submitting the same to the people in
the form Of an amendment to the
constitution Why deprive the PEG
pie Of voice in the matter as we
would do if convention was held
In conclusion, the answer to the
query of Mr.. Parsons, how we would
meet the additional interest on oul
State debt in 1900 is very simple
one. We would not begin by plline
up debt of $3.50, 900, or more OF
the State as he would by holding 6
convention, but by cutting down ex,
penses by revision of our crimina
laws, decreasing appropriations along
some lines, and amending the con
stitution through the Legislature Sc
as to lop off every useless expendi
ture with which the State is now
burdened.
That Mr.. Parsons may have the
opportunity to give to the public
some reasons for his views, we APP
pend some of the things that would
come before convention, in the in
terrogatories below from the Rich
mond Dispatch, and ask how hs