Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-14
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION.

We find the following in the editorial
columns Of the Norfolk Landmark, Of
yesterday morning:
The Landmark itself could hardly say
anything Ton the constitutional conven-
ton question: stronger than this. which
is TO be found I'm an editorial of the
Dispatch. published not more than
year ago:
The Walton law, as perfected by the
adoption Of the Parker substitute, gives
our people the best election law that
they can hope to have under the present
Constitution. 1t Is as much Of a check
upon the Ignorant and Vlcious vote as
81 is in the legislative power to provide.
But the sovereign people may order
convention And when the convention
Is called 1t may prepare an article saying
that In Virginia no man shall vote unless
he be possessed of one or another OF the
following qualifications: Ability TO read
and write; proof that he has been In
the military service Of Virginia in time of
war: OF. that he pays taxes upon
property to the value of s.. Nearly
an of the Southern States have adopted
amendments TO their constitutions in rela-
lion TO suffrage and If Virginia wishes
10 enjoy permanent peace from election
agitations and demagogic agltators, she
must do likewise.
In, the same editorial Says the Land
marlO the Dispatch refers 10 the present
Constitution as "the Underwood Consti-
tuition. diluted. as IL were, by various
amendments that the Legislature and the
people have put upon it to mitigate its
folly"
Therefore having our contemporary
admission that the present Constitution
is a bad one, and knowing in addition
that the Dispatch scouts the idea that
the Legislature can give the people the
relief they need. we cannot help thinking
that there is nothing left for us to cross
iances over If our friend does not wish
"a convention. although admitting the
great need of 1t. that is another thing.
The people OF Virginia think great
deal OF the Dispatch, and rightly, but We
very much doubt If they will follow It's
advice when II says Here is what
YOU need. and here Is an opportunity Tor
YOU TO get it-don't take IT.!
The Dispatch has never said that the
Constitution OF Virginia does not need
revising: nor that the Legislature could
do the work as well as convention
We have, for many years. held the oppo-
site opinion. What we have said since our
marty declined to adopt the consutu-
tional convention scheme as party
issue. is that the present is not favo-
rable time for calling such a convention.
II we needed any assurance Of the cor
rectness of our position on this point,
we could easily get it from the columns
of those Of our State contemporaries that
are urging the convention scheme. Some
NJ them evidently wish a convention
called TO adopt an amendment restrict
ing suffrage. Per contra. others OF them
urge their readers to vote for con-
yantion. assuring them that they may
rest satisfied that the suffrage article
OF the present Constitution VIII not be
changed
See there how divided we are upon this
prime question? If convention Is
called can we hope that the sugges-
lions made by the Dispatch year ago
will be adopted? Hardly, when we have
numbers Of pro-conyention papers print
ing articles TO quiet the fears OF certain
OF their readers that suffrage VIII be re-
stricted. For our part, when consu-
tutional Convention is held we wish to
see Il pledged to take up and consider
that very suffrage problem. Indeed,
this has always been cJe of our main
reasons for wishing a constitutional con-
yenticn held.
In the Judgment Of the Dispatch, pre-
sent political conditions In Virginia do
not favor the calling Of constitutional
convention at this time. In this view
we ind support from the non-aetion OF
our last state Democratic convention.
That convention might have recon-
mended Democrats 10 give an afiirma-
tive vote upon the pending proposition,
hut 1t scrupulously ans studiously re-
Trained from doing So Why? We can
only surrnise-either because II believed
a convention was not needed, or, If
needed. that this would not be suitable
time 10 call H.
when our state Democratic conyen-
tlon avoids endorsing a constitutional
convention, ana when numerous earnest
friends OF the scheme decline 10 give II
any encouragement now, the people may
well pause and consider before voting aye.
The Populist party Is the only party