The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-11-16
The CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

ihL UNIV ViiNitie ONh' SNi'N'"
The Board Of Trade and Business Men :
Association, of Norfolk. has adopted
strong resolutions against theenactInent
OF the Quafles Barbour law and appoint
ed committee 10 present the resolutions
10 Norfolk members Of the Convention
The Democratic members OF the Con-
yention held conference on the suffrage
question. The understanding clause 81
the majority report of the Suffrage Com
mittee. known a. the Thorn plan. was
vigorously attacked by MFR. W. \. Ander-
son. of Rockbrdge
The following was telegraphcd from
the Virginia Methodist Conference at
Newport News Judge Bergman Green.
chairman: Three hundred ministers and
laymen in convention assembled. repre-
senting 90, 600 MethOdists from the Blue
Ride To the ocean, urge the passage oi
the Barbour resolution. Resolutions
follow"
The name of Ex-Governor OFerrall has
been mentioned in connection with the
vacancy in the Richmond delegation 10y
the resignation of Mr. Nirginius Newton.
When asked about II Col. O'Ferrall SAID .
Il am not n candidate. and have not
thought OF being one. | may he political
ly dead. but ! do not care 10 be any
deader'
The convention has adopted the fol
lowing. All regular elections for county
and district officers shall be held on Tues
day after the first Monday in November.
and all of said officers shall enter upon
the duties of their offices on the first day
of January next succeeding their election,
and shall hold their respective offices Tor
the term of four wears. except the clerk oil
the court shall hold Office for eight years.
No county officer or supervisorshall mold
any other Office.
The Convention sat less than two
hours. Ii. however, disposed OF two
subjects. The Convention adopted the
amendment relative to the terms oil
TreasUrers. providing for the election by
the people of a Treasurer for each county
who shall not serve two consecutive
terms This oitceris not permitted either
10 act rs the deputy of hi5 successor Th"
Convention also adopted an amendment
providing that the Legislature shall pro
vide for the examination OF the books re-
lating to the revenues of each county.
4 writer in the Dispatch from NOrthum
berland county saws: "Tbe conditions
which exist here. and in our sister coun-
ties in the Northern Neck, too, are surely
one strong point in any argument for the
change in our court system. There has
been no case before the court here. TT
During jury for a great length OF time,
and our Judges have been able 10 finish
their work often in an hour This il due.
in our county 10 the fact that Tor four
wears we have been local option coun-
tv. Before the reign Of sobriety and
temperance. our Jail was crowded, and
crimes and disorder ruled supreme in our
borders.
The preachers and the liquor dealers
were in large numbers in the Senate
Chamber Wednesday afternoon when ar
gument was heard for and against tue
Barbour-Q uarles liquor resolution. Large
delegations from Richmond, Danville.
fredericksburg. Norfolk, Alexandria and
other places were present in opposition
to the resolution There were II number
OF speeches on both sides. the most slrik-
ing of which were 10y Mr. st. George K.
Fitzhugh, OF Fredericksburg against, and
Rev. NJ. Ashby Jones, OF Richmond, for
the resolution. The former ridiculed the
preachers in n gOOd-natured why, and
made very effective speech.
Senator Glass has completed his sui
frage plan, which does not differ in many
of it's provisions from the Thorn or the
Daniel plan, but the few differences are
somewhat radical The Glass plan makes
the understanding clause a temporary
eXpedient until Jan. |, 1903, after which
it is dropped altogether and no person
who is not listed at the two general reg
istrations to be held prior to Jan. /,
1903. can thereafter claim descriptions.
After Jan. /, 1903, every person Offering
to register or vote is put upon the same
footing. He must prepay Il poll tax OF
81 30. make application in his own hand
writing. and prepare his ballot and vote
without aid from any source The Glass
plan is designed to exclude considerable
number OF negroes from the registration
books until after the poll-tax requirement
becomes operative: so that if they pre-
sent themselves for registration after
Jan /, 1903, they must not only run the
gauntlet OF rigorous educational quail
fcation, but before going through the
ordeal must first pay $l.5Opolltax. Mr..
Glass plan also provides for equal repre-
sentation Of the two great political par
ties among the judges of election, so as
TO insure absolutely fair elections after
the electorate has been purified by the
elimination of the great mass OF obiec-
tiOnable voters.