The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-02
May be Living Under New Constitu-
tion Before End Of Year.
LEAVE ISSUES TO THE PEOPLE.
State Democratic Convention Nay De-
eide as to What Changes are Desi-
sirable = Extra Session of the
Legislature Will Probably
be Held in Early Summer
ifConvention is Ordered

The Democratic caucus last night de-
cfdsd upon the fourth Thursday in next
May as the time for taking the vote
upon the question of calling a convention
to ADOPT a new Constitution.
On that date municipal elections will
ciaI elections will be ordered In the coun-
ties. Should the proposition to hold the
convention carry. the Legislature Win
probably be convened in extra ses-
sion at once, perhaps in June. to make
provision for the convention and to OPP
portion the State for representatives
in that body. Then there will be a spe-
cial election to select delegates to tho
convention. This will probably be held
some time In the summer and the cen
vention may meet In the early fall. Sem
ator Flood. the author of the convention
resolution. said last night it was not at
all unlikely that we will be living under
| a new Constitution before the end of the
present year.
| The caucus did not undertake to lay down
any issues upon which the fight sor the
convention will be made. It Is
| presumed that there will be a State Dem
ocratfc convention early in May to eject
delegates to the national convention. and
| III any issues are to be formulated this
car be done by that body.
PROBABLE ISSUES.
| The issues will probably be. If any are
! made. the matter OF taxation, reductions
OF Offices, and the suffrage question.
| Now tnat it has bssn decided to allow
| the people to vote upon The question OF
calling convention. and to make IL a
party Issue, nearly everybody seems
anxious that il we are to have a new
Constitution It be adopted as soan as
! Ipracticable.
| Chairman Pitcher called the Conference
| to order at $50 o'clock
/ Delegate Thomas n. Jones offered a
| resolution. which was adopted, uniting
| speeches to ten minutes.
] The following was introduced by Sem
ator Opie:
| Resolved. That all constitutional amend-
| ments originating In the present LeSis-.
| lature be referred to the Constitutional
| Convention.
To this resolution Delegate Gou.dman
| offered the following as a subtitute:
| Resolved, That all proposed amendments
| to the constitution be referred to the
Constitutional Convention.
Senator Keezell appealed to the cau-
Gus not to take any steps that would
endanger the proposed amendments to
/ the cons titution looking to the c0nsolf-
| dation of the spring and fall elections
| and a change In the organic law relating
| to the oyster industry. He said X the
/ convention proposition should fail. the
I people should be given the opportunity
! to vote upon the amendment proposed
| at the last session of the General AS
sembly. The difference between the
original resolution and the substitute was
this: Senator Orfe's plan was to refer to
the constitutional convention only such
proposed appointments as might originate
In this Legislature. The GouIdman reso-
luton was designed to refer not only
such amendments as might originate In
this General Assembly TO the convention,
but those that originated in the last Lesis-
lature. In other words, two successiye
General Assemblies must vote to sub
nit an amendment to the people before
the question can be. voted upon. The last
Legislature passed the resolutions to
submit to the people the question of con.
solfdating the elections and to impose a
specific license tax upon oyster tongsmen.
Should the present Legislature agree To
those resolutions the people would hiiva
the opportunity to vote upon the ques-
1 tiors.
THE CAPITATIoN TAX.
i The lie Cato resolution to make the
!. payment of the capitation tax pre-
! requisite to voting originated In the
/ present Legislature 1t must be passed by
this Legislature and another General As
/ sembly before It can be voted upon by
the people. The Gouldman substttuts
effected not only the lie Cato resolution
but the proposed amendments regarding
. elections and the oyster industry, whlls
the Opie resolution had reference only