Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-25
aruocRATIc LAw-MASERs CRAP
PIE WITH THIS QUESTION.
AMY WAY TO REDUCE EXPENSES.
.,...rs. withcrs, saunders, aud
Others rake This View of the Case.
S,stem of Government Needs Re-
oanigation-Anothc Conference.

.fflrinE the 2utSNNh "a Ant bcblSidbNFe
..s.nr steps looking to holding a consti-
o,ional convention.
mo conference was without results.
r,, attendance was small only forty
t,rr members Of the House being present.
,bno the number Of senators IN the Han
mas only three. 1t was owing to the mea-
Gre attendance thar no decided action was
.sken and the conference adjourned 70
meet saturday night.
There were several speeches made lu-
rre The conference and il IS a fact
u6rfhy OF note that not one was in op-
pasIion TO a convention. The majority or
the speakers were outspoken in their adj
eocscy Of constitutional revision by a
convention. and the others declared for
u by implication.
OBJECT of THE CONFERENCE.
Mr saunders. in the absence Of Chair
man Cooke, raped the caucus TO order
at 500. and called Delegate Stubs 10 tho
chair. Upon taking the chair Mr.. Stubs
sskci Mr.. saunders 10 state the object
81 the conference. In doing so. the latter
ss.d there were now pending in the Courts
Committee OF the House a proposition for
a institutional convention. another sub
hitting 90 popular vote an amendment
ab0Ishing spring elections, and a third
providing for commission to prepare
amendments TO the Constitution He
went into an exhaustive discussion of
me questions involving the various pro-
positions and said that, upon the whole.
90 bad seemed best to have an expression
from joint conference OF the members
OF che two houses upon the subject. and
the Courts Committee had asked that the
caucus be held.
owe are living in a fools paradise"
said Mr. Saunders. There is no use to
shut our eyes. There is going to be a
reduction in the assessment Of lands in
Virginia In 1900. this is sure There was
time when our real estate was assessed
Dove It's market value in many instances.
There are many appalling instances
which have recently come to light, in
which 10 was assessed very far above its
market value. The next assessment is
certain TO see the reduction Of assessed
wues'
mr. Saunders expressed some slight
criticism OF the senators for not attend
ing the conference, there being compare
lively few present.
Mr.. WINBORNES RESOLUTIONS.
Nr. Winborne followed Mr. Saunders,
submitting the following resolutions:
Resolved That IL is the sense of this
caucus that the most practicable way to
meet the difficulties confronting the State
IS 10 adopt a resolution submitting to the
leople at the next fall election the ques-
ion as TO whether or not a constitutional
onvention shall be held.
uH 70 l.. 10 &C.
ued explaining the necessity Of this
curse.
s. That such constitutional amendmen-s
s. may be deemed proper shall be adopted
y the present session Of the General AS
ambly. u A
Mr.. WinbOrne opposed the proposition
# constitutional commission in very
trong terms. saying that IL would make
M extra session necessary, the expense of
which, added TO that OF the commission
tself would be greater than that Of a
Constitutional convention.
FAVORS A CONVENTION.
Delegate Anderson, Of Richmond. adj
'ocated a convention, but he opposed the |
difference adopting a binding resolution, !
% view Of the very small number Of |
-natOrs present. He thought il best to /
ndeavOr 10 pass the constitutional con-
entiOn bill now pending in each house. |
Let the House pass this BILL" he said,
send 1t over 10 the Senate and put
pom that body the onus OF passing or re-
Getting ii.
Mr. Stubs advocated convention. He
iuded 20 the fact that the conservative
arty had refused 10 make the funding
ll Of 1870 4 caucus measure, and the
arty had seen the day when IL bitterly
ued. So, he said. would the Democratic
arty bit, ly regret not making the
lesti0n OF a constitutional convention
party issue. addressing o Democratic
aucus for. probably the last time after
early thirty years in the Legislature of
irgnia." said Mr.. Stubs, in conclusion,
I beseech you, fellow-DemOcrats. leave
ot these halls until you have definitely
ecded whether the party is to make the
awsion Of the Constitution a party issue,
p not"
Mr.. Stubs was literally applauded al
be- conclusion Of his speech.
MUST BE A PARTY ISSUE.
Captain Parks said he had wanted
convention for ten years
ma had voted for Il at every opportunity.
.e believed many members Of the Legis-
-ure desired a convention, but did not
ant IL made a party measure UNLESS
l.s be- done" he said. unless we make !
be- question Of constitutional revision a
arty issue, we can never secure It," He
iy0red the caucus not adopting a bind
3 resolution; he wanted adjournment
.ken, the members present 10 do valiant
ork for the constitutional convention
ca during the next day or two, and thus
70 full caucus and make the PROPOSE
on a party measure. in that way we
.u have the Constitution revised" said
r. Parks, "and in that alone. The
emocratic party will carry Virginia In
lite Of the world, the flesh, and the
.yl."
WHAT IT WOULD SAVE.
Mr. Digs said he had long wanted
convention, and opposed
.uesuy the resolutions offered by Mr.
iuborne He took up the resolutions
detail opposing each in strong Ian
lage. Mr. Digs asked how much an
tra session would cost.
About 10000" said Mr.. Saunders.
and do you think q new Constitution
olld save that much?" asked Mr.. Diggs.
It would save half a million dollars r
id Mr. Stubbs !
j shall tell the gentleman how much !
would save" said Mr.. Withers, rising
bis feet and speaking with emphatic
Iwness. a modern, enlightened, gov ,
nmcnt in this State, such as would De
ssIble under "A Constitution revised IN
@ manner which has been Indicated by .
me OF the best minds in Virginia. would
sc TO the State every year one million
e hundred thousand dollars.
Mr. Diggs rather dissented, and con-
ided his speech against the resolution. s
senator Barksdale said there was no q
niger Of the constitutional convention {
solution failing In the Senate, so Mr. O