The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-13
WEDNESDAY, MARCH IS. 1901.
NO TIME FOR BEsTowlNd COMPLIMENTS

Two citizens were talking the other
day about The forthcoming Eonstitil-
1ional Convention, when 4 third ciu-
zen was mentioned as a good man for
delegate. He is indeed 4 man we'll
qualified for The position, said Gill
zen No. l, ''but il would be folly 10
bring him forward because he is 50
unpopular that the people will not
have him.
we ask in all seriousness if that
spirit is TO prevail throughout The
Commonwealth il the selection of del
cGates 10 tic convention: Is II pos
sihle that the voters OF Virginia are
going 10 select the good fellows who
happen 10 pc popular and defeat men
who are known 10 be thoroughly
qualified because they happen 10 be
personally unpopular. In selecting our
delegates, are we going 10 pay per-
senal compliments. or arc we going to
choose dfcm with respect 10 their tit
ness and for The good that they may
do. What has the question of nopu-
larity TO do with it: What difference
does it make whether we chance 10
like a man or not. provided only we
know that he is honest and capa bic
and that he has The true interests of
The State at heart.
Fellow-ciiizens of Virginia. lei us put
aside our likes and diSlilles our nrciu-
dices, our personal feelings and all
Slich minor considerations and so in
for the very best mineral :ivaill bic.
if We Want 10 compliment our friends
let us wait for some other occasion.
This is 10 time fo1. the 'pass!ng Of COM
plimenfs. The 2uorc we think Of it,
the more we hear OF it, the lnorc iiil
pressed are we with the fact that The
Constitutional Convention Soon 10 he
held Will mark an epoch il Nirgini:.s
history. Questions Of the most serious
concern 10 The people are TO be de-
cded and NC must have in that con-
vention a majority of the best and
Hruest and most patriotic citizens Of
the Commonwealth. or the last state
of Virginia Will be worse Than tie
first. The Underwood Constitution is
not as black as it has been painted, and
many people have denounced it in tn
measured terms without ever having
read it through. Ne serve notice that
&c the voters OF this State ara not ,.arc
fun TO scrd The right men Ia '!.c ,cn-
scntiol. we shall have n Constitution
far WORSE than that ainr which we
have been living for the pas thirty
years and more.
There is plenty Of good material in
Virginia and 1t is available SO far as
we know. not a single man in the State
who has been called ui.nu 10 run has
declined. Mans- of tle:n have said
that they would 40: seek The eli - and
MOULD make 40 cau.,ss for il. hUt we
know OF no man called Upon who :las
not responded that if his neighbors
want him 10 serve them lc viii 10 so.
ANc say that The voters have the Whole
citizenship of the State to select from.
and IF we do not got t1ic best il Viii
be our own lSI:t II IS .srQucsiion
ably ne &s7,or :.Ild I: @rcas honor 10
be elected q member Of the Cot.stilu
,ional Convention. bu: in making our
SesltElf NC -t-t
that question. We should not so in TO
honor this man or lbat. We Slcpld
not cast our yo,e. even Cor III, .:eares:
friend. merely by Way of paying him
a compliment. We should forget III
This election friends and friendships
and ties Of whatever character. AMI we
should also forget cur prejudice
against any fellow-citizen and put
aside our aiiimosities o.: personal dis
likes. We should cast about us and
see who are the men best qualified in
every way 10 write the organic law Of
the State. aud, Forgetting all else, cast
our ballots for those men. II this rule
lie adopted, Virginia will gel a consti-,
sutIonal Convention equal TO any of the
honorable conventions that haze sat