Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-09-20
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

heaos. doge Is lying wide OF the
mark"
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The Committee on Judiciary has
decided to retain the present system
of county Commonwealth Attorneys.
The Judiciary Committee adopted
the recommendation for the estab-
lishment by the Legislature of one
or more courts for administering the
Torrens system of land registration.
The convention met Saturday,
passed resolutions deploring the
death of the President and sympa-
thiziug with Mrs. Mckinley and
adjourned out of respect for the dead
President.
The Committee on Education
adopted resolution by z to 5 that
there be uniform series of text
books selected by the State Board of
Education for all the public free
schools of the State.
MIR. Summers, the most prominent
champion of Virginia Republicanism
at the present time, said recently in
the Constitutional Convention that
eastern Virginia was good only for
peanuts, mosquitoes and politicians"
If he would consult the reports of
the Auditor of Public Accounts he
would find that this section of the
State furnishes, also, a considerable
portion Of the money to pay the
criminal expenses of counties in the
Southwest, in some of which the
cost of prosecuting offenders exceeds
the entire revenue collected by the
State.-Norfolk Ledger.
The convention resumed the con-
slderation of the jury trial section of
the report on the Bill of Rights.
Section 8 was adopted. This per.
mits a waiver of jury trial by a
prisoner who pleads guilty of mis-
demeauor, or in a misdemeanor case
where there is no such plea of guilty
the court may in its discretion hear
and determine the case without a
jury. The same section authorizes
the Legislature to permit justices
OF the peace to try al except
felony cases without a jury. This
section further provides that the
Legislature may permit the trial of
all except felony or capital cases by
Il jury of less than - persons.
The Committee on Education de-
cided to elect school trustees by the
people and to retain county superin-
tendents, who are to be elected by
the State Board of Education, as
now, with the advice of the Senate.
Their terms of office shall be four
years. 1t was also agreed that the
State Superintendent of Public In
struction shall be elected by the
State Board of Education. This
State board shall be composed of the
Governor, Attorney General, Super
lntendent of Education, aud the
heads of the following institutions:
Virginia Military Institute, Univer-
sity of Virginia, William and Mary
College, the Polytechnic Institute
and the State Normal of Farmville.
A majority of the Suffrage Com
mittee have agreed upon franchise
plan. The scheme Of the majority.
which has the support of Is of the
% members of the committee, is that
offered by Mr.. Thorn, of Norfolk. 1t
was adopted as substitute for the
one offered by Senator Daniel. This
scheme requires the prepayment of
81 90 capitation tax and payment of
at least 81 tax on property. 1t ex-
empts from these requirements all
persons who have rendered military
service, all who have had three
months regular employment previ-
Gus to the time of registration and
can explain the duties of the office
for which he offers to vote after
January l., 1908. All except those
previously registered shall be able to
prepare his own ballot without aid.
ALABAMA's NEW CONSTITUTION.
The new constitution of the state
of Alabama will be submitted to a
vote of the people and made party
Issue. The Suffrage bill embraces
the Capitation Tax, Educational and
Understanding Clauses. The instru-
ment is looked upon as a good one.
A SUGGESTION.
A resolution has been introduced pro-
viding that all wives, widows and fe-
male descendants of Confederate SOL
diers be allowed to vote st q separate
poll, which shall have women Judges of
election and clerks.--VIRGINIA CITIZEN.
| would offer this as an amend
ment to said resolution: Be it
Resolved, That all wives, widows
and female descendants of Federal
soldiers residing in the State of Vir-
ginia, who have adopted the same as
their future abode, be ostracized.
RESOLVED, further, That all male
descendants born north of Mason &
Dixon line before or after 1865 and
now living in this State be dis
franchised. Yours truly,
A. NoBLETT.
Kilmarnock. Wa.