Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1901-02-15
POLITICS m KYRGfHiA.
What the Constitutional Con-
ve1ffon rs Expected TO Do.


culation in our State aud it's abiding
interest i'm evets affecting The
good Of our people, L can find no
better medium of communication
with thoughtful Virginiaus than
The Post. On the eve of events
that promise new era in our af-
fairs, and impressed by the fact
that great occurrences throughout
the world haye in a measure pre-
pared us for more progressive poI>
ICY, the coming constitutional cou-
Venhon seems to have been prOvI-
dentlally postponed 30 a time when
our people should have u broader
and more comprehensive view of
their responsibility 20 the country.
to the world, aud to posterltN. In
receut political conditions else
where the have seen that great
events have have produced few
great men, and that the changes
wrought though, perhaps, benefici>
al TO the world at large, have been
the result of force rather than
genius, aud that little has been ac>
cOmDlised In proportion to the
force expended for the happiness
OF the people affected. Thus 1t
would seem the time is suspicious
for the inauguration of a new re.
gime in the ancient Common wealth:
the substitution Of the doctrine of
the greatest good 20 the doglua of
political expediency, aud the final
a0rogatlon of an instrument labu-
riOusly framed for the benefit of
one political party, and for the
exclusion of all others Though
the Underwood constitution failed
of the effect, all purely PARTISAN
enactments must fail, it had been
fruitful of more lasting INJURY to
the State than the great civil war
chat preceded it and made it posi-.
BILE. It vltiated the very foundation
of politics. 1t made the Malone
era possible, aud its poison is still
manifest in the Walton election
law, of the evil of which YOU hear
III Washington than we see in VIr.
GINA. Among the many good re-
suits that hopeful aud conservative
Vlrginians foresee from the new
constitution is tue inevitable abo-
lltion of every partlzian feature of
the election "macnineryn of the
State, which has been the source of
so much scandal and vituperation
outside our borders, and has cost
rs the seats of SO many Congress-
men undoubtedly elected by the
people. There is beyound question
a considerable element in the State
opposed to such action, and this
element will seek to perpetuate the
present conditions. To them there
is no higher law than political ex-
pediency and no loftier aspirations
than plumber and place. You will
ind many of them in office, from
the highest to the lowest, and the
continued possession of these places
clrcumscrlbes their patriotism.
They are numerous; far too numer-
Gus, but thank heaven they do not
to a majority Of the people, and
little heed viii be given to their
selfish clamor. From your friendly
viewpoint beyond the Potomac YOU
will be rejoiced to see Virginia send
ing mp from all sections her ablest
and most devoted sons to frame the
sacred instrument that will eman:
clpate her from the Pandora's box
of evils, let loose upon her through
a generation of selfish and partisi.
an legislation, and freed alike
from incompetent franchise and
party greed to pursue the grand
cared so lamentably interrupted.
HENRY Nj. SMYTHE.
Maxwelton, Va,
January %. 1901.