Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-30
TWELVE PAGES.
FRIDAY. MARcfr 80. 1900.
AND WE SAY THE SAME THING
NOW

Our morning contemporary does It
self credit in honestly admitting that
It slipped into error in regard to the
power of the Legisla ture to require
that the work of the Constitutional
Convention be submitted to the peo-
pie. and for that reason did not urge
the Importance of instructing delegates
to the Democratic Convention (May 2d)
that they might be required to vote for
q convention and. ut the same time, as
matter of equal Importance to a. con-
stitution itself, THAT 1t should be sub
United to the people for its approval or
rejection.
Our contemporary does itself injus-
tice in saying that there was never
any likelihood that the Constitutional
{ Convention would presume to keep its
6 work from passing under the peoples
scrutiny and Judgment
The Virginlan-P Pilot. having the law
before 1t (and 1t was afterwards pub
I; 1ished in this paper), knew that the
only way to guarantee a reference to
the people was by having the Conven-
ton of the party MAY 2d) that en-
p dorsed the Constitutional Convention,
endorse as equally important sub
mission of its work to the people. It
+ is pleasure to observe that our morn
ing contemporary has al last come out
/ and put itself upon the side of the
people in saying that at favors rati-
fication by the people," for this is the
first time 1t has done so. Our contem
porary can't hide it's mistake under
the lame excuse that popular ratifica-
ton has not been discussed" when this
:. paper has not only discussed 1t, but,
to make assurance doubly sure" 1t
interviewed the party-men. candidates
and ofllce-holders. There has been no
subject so much discussed 1t was the
silence Of our contemporary that
reused suspicious of another Palmer
Buckner-pro Mckinley scheme,
ready-nlade, self-acting machine-made
Constitution
we Will let our contemporary answer
now. in its own way, why we favor
Convention to amend the Constitu-
ton:
Now, while the Landmark has been
earnestly working for a convention for
Six wears, at least and while it was one
OF the pioneers in the effort to arouse
public Interest in the subject, believing
as IT did, and does THAT THERE IS
NO HOPE OF CONSTITUTIONAL.
EEEISIOM by TEE PROCESS OF
LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENT, our
morning contemporary, the Virginlan-
Pilot, if we correctly read that paper,
consistently opposed the convention
movement up to few weeks ago. It
insisted that The THING TO DO WAS
I'll =.
AMENDMENTS TO THE ORGANIC
Law by THE ACTION OF THE
LEGISLATURE"
Keynote of the situation. We insisted
that the changes could and. should have
been made by Legislative amend
ment" during the last six years, at
least. for two reasons: first, it would
cost so n,uch less. and, secondly (of the
Grehtest i;?portance), the people would
be afforded an opportunity 10 vote up-
on the amendments. 1t was guaran
tee that no cut and dried Constitution
could be thrust upon the people. But
the Legislature did not do 1t; but. in
x stead, 1t has steadfastly declined to
3 act, and finally authorized the peopIe
to vote for a Constitutional Conven
ton; having, itself. no power or au-
thority to authorize OF direct that the
product OF the Constitutional Conven.
4tion shall be submitted to the vote of
the people for ratification or rejection.
4 The Landmark thus seems to have
been one of the very agencies that
worked to defeat amendment by the
Legislature. because THERE WAS