Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-03-20
constitutional Convention.

iI,et it be freely, fairly and thoroughly
discussed and | have no fear OF the
decision at the polls on the fourth
Thursday in May. have the utmost
confidence in the intelligence and
patriotism of the people. Let them
see how costly thing the mutilated
corpse OF the Hunnicutt- Underwood
convention is, and they will bury it
80 deep that the hand of resurrec
ton will never reach it.
Now Mr. Editor please don't mis-
represent me. You say mfr. Parsons
! admits this constitution has been
patched into responsibility" No, no.
/: | said no such thing. | said I'VE
have altered it aud patched it until
we have got into little better shape,
but it is still very, very defective and
! ill-adapted to an agricultural State
like NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. indeed
The original constitution was con-
ceived IN sin and brought forth in
iniouityr-the wretched, hidious OIL
spring of Observation-Disclosures
and other leaders OF their ilk, as
ignorant, foulmouthed and foul
smelling mob as ever gathered to
traduce the intelligence, worth and
manhood OF n great Commonwealth. >
You may change, you may alter
that thing if you will, but the scent
Of its birth will cling to it still.
Figures, nh, that's what you want i!
Well, you are fond of asking cues
tions and | will ask you a few. One
point made by the advocates of a
conyention-and it is a point simply
incontesta ble-is that it is out OF all
human reason for the State OF Vir-
GINA with half the population, half
the wealth and one-third Of the area
of North Carolina and Georgia COM
biued, to pay annually for her gov
eminent, nearly as much as both OF
them.n For the year Of 1898 the
combined expenses OF North Carolina
and Georgia were 81, 2S6, 900. For the
same year the expenses of Virginia
alone were S3,755 900. What further
argument is needed? How is it pos
sible to contend in the face of this
hard fact, that our Commonwealth
should not be governed at less
expense to the people? Georgia
is probably the most progressive OF
the Southern States. She has a
Iarger population and more wealth
than Virginia and therefore she has
the ability to pay more for govern
ment than Virginia pays, yet Geor-
gia's annual expenses are million
dollars less than Virginia's. Is not
this disproportion preposterous? The
total county taxes of North Carolina
are $9lG,00O The total county taxes
Of Virginia are So,1O0,000. The total
State and county taxes of Virginia
are So, S54, 900 The total State and
county taxes of North Carolina are
about So. 100000. 1t it possible that
there is not brains, patriotism and
craftsmanship enough in Virginia to
devise a law by which we can be
more cheaply governed? Does it cost
twice as much to govern Virginia as
does to govern North Carolina? The
ofliceholders and their friends may
kick, but the people are going to
have convention. Bugbears from
the mountains cannot scare them. l
am willing to trust the people of the
whole State. That is democratic
doctrine from the days of Jefferson
to the present time, but you, Mr..
Editor, want us to lie supinely on our
backs, trembling with fear lest some
bugbear appear and eat us up.
Admitting for arguments sake that
the convention would cost 100000,
Though that is double the necessary
cost, still that sum could be saved
four times over every year and still
spend as much for government as the
great State of Georgia spends. Vir-
ginia was once called the mother of
States and statesmen, but now alas
it takes million more to govern her
than it does the great Empire State
OF Georgia. o for Jefferson, Mad
ison or Henry, to arouse the people,
with his undying appeal, give me
liberty or give me DEATH" There is
no worse tyranny than that OF an Of
flee holding oligarchy who seek to
fatten on the miseries of the people.
Who are the opponents of the con-
vention? Call the roll. Let the PEG
pie see. ID. PARSONS.
Mr.. EDITOR drop you short
letter in behalf Of the Constitutional
Convention, and hope you will give
it space in your paper.
The constitution, under which we
are now living, was made in the
prosperous times of thirty years ago;
and it was easy enough then for the
people to support it. The farmers
grew less than now, and crops were
produced at a minimum cost, Cabor
was cheaper then, and guano not
much used); there being limited
amount of produce on the market,
it brought good paying price;
again our habit Of living was less
expensive then, and we could stand
the tax under this constitution and