Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-18
GOOD PROGRESS MADE
Steering Committees Ready to Re-
port to Virginia Convention.
DELEGATES REASSEMBLE TODAY
Many Picturesque Characters
Among the Older Members.
THE POLITICAL DRIFT
Special From a Staff Correspondent.


after recess of three days, during which
material progress has been made by the
steering committees in preparing plan OF
organization. Rules for the governing OF
the assembly have been drafted and a
number of committees provided to take
cOgnizance of the different features of work
before TIE convention. There is a DISPOSE
= tion among the delegates to proceed rap
idly with business and to relieve the tax
payers of the state of the expense of the
convention soon as possible.
Delegates assembled in the historic capt.
tol building today long before the gavel fell
at the hour of noon. and discussed the out
look for the day There are many pictur-
esque figures in the personnel of this gath
ering of repre- sentative Virginians. More
than majority of them bear military titles
won in the service of the confederacy, when
the old dominion was torn by war. Some
OF them coming from remote sections of the
state meet only on such occasions as this.
and consequently there is a great deal of
reminiscence of the stirring days of the
'Gs- Very cOurtly and dignified are these
survivors of the old regime. Their inter-
course is in the care full. weIl-cOnsidered lam
Suage of the days when the duello con-
fronted the man who was inconsiderate of
word OF action in his relations with his
equals. There is something of the same
spirit among the younger members of the
assembly. and petite phrases and formal
The Presiding officer.
Towering head and shoulders above them
all. the deal expression of the Virginian of
the old school, is the president of the con-
Tention. the venerable John Goode His
keen eye, reering beneath the shaggy gray
eyebrows. lights with kndliress as he
greets the delegates who come forward
with fOrnal courtesy to pay their respects
To the presiding officer before the session
btsins- Mr. Goode has a great deal of in
fuence in the convention, and his advice is
sought and valued by the younger MEM
bers. Mr.. Gcode expresses the opinion that
he viii be able to announce most of the
committees authorized by the report of
the committee on organization before Fri.
day. and thinks that some of the commit
tees can make partial reports within two
weeks if the convention continues in ses-
sion Outlining the principal work of the
convention Mr.. GoOde said it would fall
under the general heads of the right of
suffrage, of assessment and taxation. of
education. of the control of corDorationS
reforms in the selection of the judiciary
and the administration of state offices. Mr..
GOOde does not venture his opinion as to
the probable action on the suffrage con-
vention.
one of the most sweeping reforms that
Mr.. Goode advocates is to curtail the ap
pointing power of the executive and the
legislature and to vest ii in the people. He
would make all offices elective and even
control the United States senatorship by
primaries as is done in the two Carolinas.
Interest in Political Situation.
While the work ahead of the convention
is a constant topic of conversation, the po-
litical situation is not lost to sight. Inter
est in the gubernatorial nomination is now
secondary, since Montague has gained such
Il lead and discussion and speculation at
t.ches principally to the minor Offices
especially the lieutenant governorship and
the attorney generalShip.
Captain Joseph E Willard of Fairfax
came down from Washington yesterday
afternoon and is giving his flOurishing boom
for the lieutenant governorship his per-
sonal attention He is very popular and is
making friends rapidly His stock is sway
above par, with a rising, active market
His leading opponents are DIR. LIE Cato Of
Aecomac, Captain Featherstone of Lynch
burg and Colonel Irvine of Wise county
A. {: Braxton. a lawyer of Staunton.;
State Senator Jeffries of Culpeper Captain
r. S. Parks of Page county and Judge s.
". Williams of Bland county are skirnish-
ing for position in the fight for the attorney
generalShip In the paUses of the conyen-
tion proceedings the candidates are hard
at work. and the factional lines are rapidly
forming for the state convention which
meets at Norfolk the middle of August
Mr.. Montague a Visitor
Before the meeting was called to order
today Mr.. Montague. one of the candidates
for the guberna>orial nomination, came
the delegates. He is a stockily-built man
approaching forty years of age. with close
ly cropped red hair and a determined face
te possesses the affabiity of the Virginia |
lawyer-pOlitician ard his strong pont js |
his polished OratOry.
The petition of the negro business league
of the state, praying that there should be |
no disfranchisemeHt of the negro vote bv |
the convention. was circulated among all |
the delegates. The speech of Booker Il
Washington. delivered before the Virginia |
legislature last February, was also circu-
lated in pamphlet form. The petition of |
the business league concludes as follows:
ANY law which will merely change the
name and form Of fraud. can be inter
preted as meaning one thing when applied
to one race and something else when ap-
piled to another race, will not. In our opin- |
ion. improve our present condition. but NAV
unsettle the peace and interfere with the |
thrift of our people. Anything that will |
unsettle and cause excitement of people
at the present time when more than ever
in all parts of the state. the race is begin
ming to improve, to settle down to habits |
OF thrift, economy and common sense. will |
not only prove injurious to our race. but to |
yours also. The history of all races proves |
that cOntented, intelligent, friendly work. |
ing class Is the greatest possession Of the |
state"
Notabies Among the Younger Men,. |
Two notable figures among the younger |
delegates are Mr.. r. Walton Moore of Fair |
fax of Loudoun county. both well known In /
Washington They thoughtful, hard |
working men. and will be called upon to |
take prominent places on the committees.
United States Senator John W. Daniel
"the lame lion of Virginia." occupies a |
front seat in the hall, where he sits a |
watchfU1 observer of all that occurs. Sem
ator Daniel is influential in the executive |
councils of the convention. 1t is generally |
understood that he will frame and offer |
the clause proposing disfranchisement Of a |
portion of the vote of the state
When the convention met the Rev Geo.
Cooper. pastor of the First Baptist Church
delivered the invocation. closing with the |
Lords Prayer. An impressive incident was
the repeating of the prayer after the min |
lister by the assembled delegates.
An effort was made by John c. Somers /
to reopen the question of the oath that SO |
excited the convention last week. He read |
q form of oath of office as delegate taken
Ry him, which he desired spread upon the |
journal There was a pause for a moment
as 1t seemed likely that the disturbing |
question was again to be reopened. Dele |