The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1897-06-11
Constitutional COnven ton
Meeting.

About 100 citizens from inherent
parts of Hardeman County assem-
bled at the courthouse Monday at
ternoon to hear Col. John X. God
win and Mr.. John Z. Bell, of Mem
phis, speak in favor of a constitu-
tional convention. Mr.. Bell was
not present, but there was no lack
of speakers.
After an introduction by Captain
McNeal, Col. Goodwin proceeded in
business like way to discuss from
his standpoint, the needs of a new
constitution. The Colonel is not
an orator, but he is pleasant, easy
talker and impresses one as being
entirely honest and earnest. lie
read some statistics, showing the
cost of conducting our state gov
eminent, and compared them with
other states, which have adopted
new constitutions, notably North
Carolina and Georgia, He believes
that if Tennessee follows in the
wake of her sister states, the results
will rebound to the interests of the
taxpayers.
The next speaker in favor of a
new constitution was Capt. w. II.
Badly, an intelligent gentleman of
our county, engaged in agricultural
pursuits, who moved here several
years ago from Mississippi. Mis-
sissippi also has a new constitution,
and under its workings Capt. Badly
claims that the state has been great
ly relieved and benefited and the
school fund largely increased. He
took occasion, during the course of
his remarks, to pay high tribute to
Gen. George, the Trainer of the new
Mississippi constitution.
Capt Badly was followed by Capt.
John w. Wilkes. Our friend,
Capt. Wilkes, went up on the
mountain tops of East Tennessee,
gathered a handful of feathers from
the tail of the American eagle, dip
ped them in the waters of the Cum
berland and Tennessee and finally
lost them in the mighty Father of
Waters. Really, Capt. Wilkes re-
marks were eloquent and entertain
ing, but entirely foreign to the sub
ject.
Hon. John David Woods spoke
in favor of a new constitution. He
said since serving a term in the leg
islature he had become more con-
WINGED than ever of its necessity.
Mr.. c. A. Miller followed Mr..
Woods. He stated that he had
been in favor of a new constitution
for fifteen years. He said the ju-
dietary system of the state should
be revised, and that there were 9TH
er needed reforms, which could only
come under a new constitution.
Mr.. A. J. Coates made the last
speech. He favoved the move
ment. He mentioned how power
less the governor of Tennessee is to
suppress riots; he favored the abO-
lition of a number of courts and Of
fees. The only thing he seemed to
be uneasy about was the personnel
of the convention. If he thought
that the body would be composed
of any such material as has consti-
tuted the legislatures of Tennessee
for the past ten years, he would OPP
pose the proposition. Mr.. Coates
was himself a member of the state
senate in 1890.
After the speaking, Col. Goodwin
announced that he desired to form
a Hardeman County Constitutional
League, for the purpose of distribu-
ting literature, etc. Hon. Jno. ID.
Woods was elected president and
was vested with authority to APP
point a secretary and other mem
bers.
The meeting then adjourned.
1t is not the purpose of the Bull
LETIN to make light of this matter,
for indeed it is a grave and serious
question that deserves careful con-
sideration; but the gentlemen who
spoke Monday only offered so few
objections to our present constitu-
ton that they can easily be singled
out and changed by amendment of
the legislature, submitted to the
people, thus avoiding the expense
of a convention.