Evening star., 1901-07-13
The Suffrage Committee Discusses
the Matter Informally.
PART PROBABLY TO GO TO ROAD FUND
The Other to Be Credited to
Veterans Pensions Fund.
O'FLAHERTY's RESOLUTION
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

| Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
RICHMOND, Va, July 13-Fifteen min-
utes was the time devoted by the members
OF the constitutional convention to .he ses-
sion today. There was a considerable fall.
ing on In attendance of members several
OF whom, having no committees this after
noon or evening, and knowing that the
session would be short. left for their homes
to spend Sunday. The day was close and
murky, and the members were slow I'm as
sembling. Two brothers in black" occu-
pled seats In the gallery, and in the eastern
gallery there were score of white men,
oh the hoor were two or three ladies,
relatives Of members OF the convention.
Mr.. Wfthers presented an amendment
to the resolution naming the committee on
reduction Of expenses providing that the
committee shall report to the convention
from time to time, and that the subjects
shall be explained by members OF the COM
mlttee and referred without further action
10 the standing committee which shall
nave under consideration the special sub
Ject anected by the report of the commit
tee on reduction of expenses The effect of
this resolution. which was adopted, will ba
10 throw on the standing committees the
questions Of retrenchment which the con-
vention Is pledged to accomplish placing
the onus and unpopularity OF the scheme
virtually on the convention.
Suffrage Committee Meeting.
FOR more than two hours today the xuf-
frage committee discussed the question
OF division OF the 81 poll tax, which has
been agreed upon. 1t was agreed that the
sum of 81 should be devoted to county
school purposes in the county in which the
tax Is paid, but what will be done with
the remainder Is the matter which is
puzzling the committee
was suggested to apply it to the road fund
Tor the improvement of the highways of
the state or for the maintenance and sup.
port of the disabled confederate soldiers
and their dependents. No agreement was
reached, though the sentiment seems to
favor dividing the sum Of 81 between the
two purposes last named.
1t was stated today that the report OF
the suffrage committee would hardly be
ready for presentation to the convention
within the next ten days. The sessions
are all held behind closed doors.
Details of the Meeting.
The convention met at noon, President
Goode in the chair. Prayer was offered by
Rev. DR.. w. B. Beauchamp of Broad
Street Methodist Church. Only eighty-two
members were present. The number of
resolutions was small. and only that by
Mr. O'Flaherty was of consequence.
Mr.. Gordon Of Richmond presented a.
resolution instructing the auditor to fur
nish statement of the amount received
from license taxes
Mr.. Pollard of Richmond presented a.
resolution providing for redstricting cities
by wards every ten years, with a view to
equalzing the voting population in the sew
eral wards Of cities.
The convention adopted two resolutions
One providing for the employment of an
assistant clerk In the auditors office to
prepare information desired by the con-
anf to
who shall act as pay clerk. To the latter
position Thomas II. Bigger was appointed.
having discharged the duties for a month
without pay.
Leaves of absence were granted about a
dozen members for two to three DAYS from
Monday.
Senator Carter Glass III.
Senator Carter Glass. member of the con-
vention from Lynchburg. has been ordered
by physicians to relinquish his work and
return to his home. This is due to the fact
that Mr.. Glass is in poor health, and the
excitement and fatigue of the work of the
convention was telling on him appreciably.
Mr.. Glass is really in a serious condition,
though his indomitable energy and Will
power keeps him up.
A few days ago he offered a resolution in
structing the suffrage committee to report
a resolution prescribing what part of the
electorate tne new constitution SDOul0 De
submitted to, and 1t was expected that ne
would call the paper up and discuss il.
Representative Flood was to lead the op-
position.
Delegate O'Flaherty of Warren county
startled the convention today by Offering
the following resolution: Resolved. That It
Is the sense Of this convention that the
adoption OF any provision whereby a priv
Hege Is given one citizen over another in
the matter Of suffrage by reason of his or
his ancestors military service is class leg
islation of the most vicious kind and in
violation Of the principles Of the bin of
rights as promulgated to the world by Vir.
ginians more than a century ago, wherein
titled to exclusive privileges. and in viola
tion of both the letter and spirit of the
Constitution of the United States, which we
voters have sworn to defend we'll as
In violation Of the principles of equal
rights wi(ch are inherent in the body pol
ftic which We represent and to which We
are amenable In the forum OF political
ethics, and the specific application of which
test, without any exceptions provisos or
alternatives. would actually disfranchise
some members of this body II applied to
them. and we Furthermore declare Il OBJ
5ectionable because It establishes a per-
manent, hereditary governing class. which
is undemocratic and contrary to the spirit
Of republican form of government, and
because 1t is impracticable OF administra-
ton unnecessary, unwise and will involve
us in an untried realm of political expedi-
ency. The resolution was referred
The convention adjourned at IL 20 o'clock.
THE CHARGES EXAGGERATED.