The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-23
PEOPLES NOV EMENTS
He Predicts That the Constitutional
Convention VIII be Ordered.
OUR SYSTEM is TOO COSTLY.
Hundreds OF Useless Offices That
Might Be Dispensed With-Then
We Could DO More for the Con-
federate NeteranS-Virginia
Should Throw Or Yoke
Placed Upon Her.

Hon. Eugene Withers made a splendid
! tutional Convention at saenger Halle last
! night.
| The distinguished gentleman from Dan
! vile faced an audience that filled the
hail. Many of the most prominent citizens
of the city were there. City Chairman
| jefferson Wallace presided. Among those
| on the stage We're State Chairman j. Tay-
F: lor Ellyson, George Wayne Anderson, 3
| S. p. Patteson, Simon Solomon, James T.
| Ferriter, Conway r. Sands, and DR.. r. 5.
| Powell, of Brunswick county.
| Attorney-General Montague was unable
| TO be present, having had TO till an en-
! gagement to deliver an address at Hamp-
| ton yesterday.
| There were few officeholders present
! Mr. Solomon was the only one on the
| stage
Mr.. Withers speech was listened to with
| the closest attention. He made a tine
! impression. The speaker did not weary
! his hearers with dry details and cold
! figures. His was a business-like talk. Oc-
+, casionally there were bursts of eloquence.
i; His tribute to the Confederate soldier was
| beautiful, and the audience cheered him
time and again.
THE INTRODUCTION.
After Iardella's splendid band had play
! ed patriotic airs, City Chairman Jefferson
| Wallace introduced Mr.. Withers. Mr..
Wallace briefly urged the voters TO sup
port the Constitutional Convention propo-
sition. Mr.. Wfthers is a young man He
does not appear to be more than twenty
five years OF age, but ne modestly admits
.. i IV,i r.r1ll
of stature, but intellectually a giant. He
has made the Constitution a study for
several years, and no man in the State
| knows better than ne the imperfections in
our present organic law.
Mr. Withers was in good voice He cap
tured his audience from the start by
pretty little tribute to Richmond and TO
her people, Then he dived into discus
sion of the great issue before the people.
He said at the outset that it was the most
important matter ne voters have had 10
deal with since the debt settlement.
The Underwood Constitution he said,
was thrust upon the Vrginans by aliens
and negroes. backed up by Federal bayo-
nets. The whole question, he argued, was
| simply a business one. There were senti-
mental and political reasons for changing
{ the organic law, but arguments that
| would touch the pocketbooks of the tax
payers could be advanced.
! Mr. Withers said our Constitution should
be made by yirginians to fit Virginia peo-
pie He told of how every other Southern
| State. save Virginia. had thrown off the
constitutions thrust upon them by carpet
. ba egers and aliens, and it was his earnest
! wish to see the State of his adoption live
! under an organic law prepared by her
own people.
PEOPLES MOVEMENT.
| n,,o..;o, I,oIdino convention
! to revise and amend the Constitution, Mr.
Withers said was a movement born of
the people. The office-holderS and politi-
clans were said to be opposed to it. He
did not blame a person for desiring 70
hold an office. The people created the
offices, and if there were too many OF
them it was the fault OF the people, and
| not of the office-holders.
Mr.. Withcrs presented some figures as
| 10 the cost of running the governments
| of virginia North Carolina and Georgia.
| These statistics showed that the two
States of North Carolina and Georgia
! combined spend only S530000 more than
J Virginia alone. There was something
| wrong in our system.
The trouble, he thought, was in keeping
men in useless positions. Virginia pays
So SO State and county taxes, while North
Carolina pays only 81. In other words
the people of Virginia have to pay nearly
double as much for protection to life and
! property as her sister State.
Mr.. Withers argued that if this question
were not settled now it would have 20
be settled soon. for the increased interest
on the debt and other expenses would
make this necessary.
He said there were nearly one hundred
useless judgeships in Virginia. He was
sorry to state that in some counties and
cities, but not in ALL the Judges were at
the head of courthouse rings that con-
troll the politics of a county or city.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
About two-thiris of the Commonwealth $
/ attorneys could be dispensed with. and
the treasurers and commissioners OF the
revenue could all be dispensed with and
the sheriffs attend to the entire business
Of assessing property and collecting taxes,
as is done in North Carolina
For one, Mr.. Withers was in favor of
| dispensing with all useless offices and
paving those officials who are absolutely
necessary, good salaries Then the best
men can be induced to accept the offices.
The costly government of Virginia. Mr.
Witners contended keeps capital out OF
Virginia, and business people and all Others
should feel personal interest In having a
more economic system.
The speaker said as receiver for two
farms-one in North Carolina and the
other In yirginia-he had been taught an
| object lesson. The one in Pittsylvana
4 county, Va. was not half as large as dle
one across the border. The buildings were
! almost worthless The revenue derived
from the North Carolina plantation was
four times that received from the Frgif7la
farm. vet the taxes ON the Virginia farm
was nearly five dollars more than VIA;
had to be paid on tie Old North State
/ plantation.
Sir. Withers was fully convince khai