Evening star., 1901-06-08
Body Which Meets June IL Has
Serious Responsibility.
ORIGINAL PURPOSES ABANDONED
There VIII Be No Attempt at
Negro Disfranchisement.
SCHOOL FUND QUESTION
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.


RICHMOND, Va. June s.-The con-
stitutional convention of Virginia will
meet in the hall Of the house of dele
gates in this city June IL. The convention
will be composed of one hundred members,
and will sit In the room Of the house of
representatives. The body will admittedly
be representative and selected from the
best material Of the state at large.
There has been no rush Of politicians to
secure nominations as delegates, and where
the purely political methods have been Ie-
sorted to obtain the honor the emboldened
aspirant has in nearly every case been re-
buked by popular vote for a more
worthy candidate. The greatest democratic
leader in Virginia (Senator Daniel) declared
at the outset that the constitutional con-
vention would be the graveyard Of political
hopes, yet he has been chosen as a dele
gate, and may be made chairman, though
he does not desire it.
The holding of the convention Is awaited
with solemnity that Is almost appalling
and viewed with feeling of responsibility
which is shared in by nearly every class of
people
mental principles embodied in constitu-
tion mean to a state. and to it's citizens.
They have been thinking and studying and
the members will undertake the work with
knowledge that their deliberations and
acts will be watched as they never were
before
To Disfranchise the Negro.
The primary demand for the convention
was the desire on the part of the demo-
cratic politicians to disfranchise the negro
vote, a movement acquiesced in by the
white citizens generally under the belief
that 1t was the only way elections In Vir-
ginia could be purified This is still the
main question, and the one that will engage
the most attention of the convention during
the time 1t Is In session. With this ques-
tlon came another bearing on the "negro
problem which Is strongly advocated BY
those where there exists large negro pop
ulation, that of dividing the school taxes
between the races according to the ratio
paid by each. This latter question has
gwen more concern to the colored man
than the fear of disfranchisement Their
leaders In school, church and politics have
made pathetic appeals to the democrats of
the state as their white friends not to per-
NIT such a terrible bar to their future ad-
Vancement to be placed In the organic law
OF the state.
Neither of these two things which caus-
ed the origin of the convention and which
so deeply concern the welfare of the ne
groes OF Virginia will come to pass The
native white people of Virginia feel kindly
toward the negro, and a strong public
sentiment has been aroused against dis
franchising the negro because he Is a
ttu there Is d strong Delief that not
all the trouble in elections is due to the
ignorant colored vote. but that the vicious
and purchaSable white vote must also be
dealt with. The convention will no doubt
adopt either a property or educational
qualification or BOTH but there will be no
wholesale disfranchisement of the negro
Many prominent members of the conven-
ton are already committed to this opin-
ion, and Capt George d. Wise of this CITY,
one of the most experienced and widely
known public men In Virginia, declared In
speech few nights ago that he would
take the floor and lead the fight against
such monstrous proposition"
The Tax Division Question.
The agitation of the question of a di-
vision Of taxes has demonstrated the fact
that such division of the school funds
would result in complete destruction Of ne
gro education and reflect upon the repu-
tation of the state
There are, however, many good men in
the convention who in the heat of election
became pledged to the divided tax idea
and continue to view it from a purely eco
nomic standpoint.
Richmond only one will advocate the di-
vision of school taxes, and this Is believed
to be fair ratio of the entire convention
on this question.
There will probably be a score or more
of conservative colored men at the cap
itol when the convention meets to plead
against any change in the school tax law.
They have the cooperation of many prom
inent white educators and ministers and
the appreciation shown by the colored peo-
pie of educational advantages has done as
much as anything else to arouse a healthy
public sentiment against depriving them
of it.
These questions disposed of. uniform
rate of taxation and reform of the judc-
airy and state and county government will
be the most important matters remaining
to be settled.
Present Constitution Adopted In 1860.
The present constitution of Virginia was
framed in 1869, when the state was pass
ing through reconstruction. Many of it's
members were ''aliens." 1t was believed to
be responsible for all the political ills of
the state and this idea was freely used to
bring about the convention. When, how
ver, patriotic men, with the interest of
the state at heart. commenced to study it
faithfully they found much in the old
constitution to commend and much to fear
from a new one Hence the complete sub
sidence of the political enthusiasm of the
opening campaign for the convention and
the soberness with which the approach OF
It's assemblage Is viewed.
Besides the question Of negro disfran-
chisement there was great feeling among
the majority of the white voters against
the notorious and unsavory election laws
of the state, and desire to feel the satis-
faction of knowing certainly that when
they cast vote 1t would be counted
There now seems a good prospect that
the movement which began with the un-
righteous desire for further corrupt polit-
ical control will purify the whole political
atmosphere. There is not only strong pub
lie opinion In favor Of honest elections. but
a demand for the election of United States
senators and the majority of state officers
by direct vote of the people. and also a
legalized and uniform primary plan to
nominate them. This latter will be de-
manded of the party chairman of the state,