Evening star., 1901-04-04
OLD DOMINION POLITICS
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION PUZ-
ZLEs THE PEOPLE.
Doubts About Advisability of Chang
ing Election Law-Candidates
for Governor.



RICHMOND, Va, April 3, 1901.
Affairs in Virginia. politically speaking,
are in a chaotic state, and just what the
outcome will be no one seems willing to
predict All over the state the people,
aided by the politicians. are choosing dele
gates to the convention which assemblies
here June IL to revise the constitution.
At the same time the season for select
ing delegates to a convention to nominate
a candidate for governor Is near at hand,
and the emissaries Of the four candidates
are visiting every city, village and ham,
let in support of their respective favorites.
Although these combined events would
seem sufficient to keep the state In tur-
mOil, the main cause of the unrest lies
deeper. The people have decided by vote
to have the organic law revised, but they
fear the result. They going into a ter
IA incognita. and feel that long chances
are being taken.
The people fear that the convention will
he dominated by the political and office
holding element. and that changes in the
constitution will be made with the view
to benefting some particular class.
II is admitted on all sides that the prime
object to be achieved is the disfranchise-
ment of the negro, and the democrats of
ihe state heartily favor this move. But
after this Is done no one knows what will
happen.
1t is true that the constitution as amend
ed will be submitted to the people tor
ratification or rejection, but there is only
the very haziest idea as to how this can
be accomplished The present instrument
would fill nine columns of The Star, and
how to get it before the people that they
can understand 1t is very serious prob
lem.
The extra session of the legislature which
made provision for the constitutional con-
ycntion took no action on the question of
who should be allowed to vote upon it. but
1pdn 70 Q shut nrrt n
who Will be disfranchised by the amend
ments. 1t is thought that the convention
itself will pass on this point, since 1t is not
deemed desirable to allow the negroes to
express their views on the changes.
State Chairman j. Taylor Ellyson has
called a meeting of the state democratic
committee for April %, at which time the
date and place for the assembling of a con-
vention TO nominate a governor will be
fixed.
There is anxiety that the convention
should meet at an earlier date than usual
to get rid of the tension and consequent in
jury to business.
The four candidates in the race are Attor-
ney General A. ]. Montague, Lieut.. Gov.
Edward Echols, Representative Claude A.
Swanson and Capt r. c. Marshall.
1t is the general impression that the lead
ing candidates are MeSSrs. Montague and
Swanson The former has the people with
him, while the whole strength of the ma
chine is behind the latter. The fight of
Mr. Swanson is being largely managed by
Senator Thomas S. Martin whose ability
as an organizer is widely known. Senator
John W. Daniel also is in favor of the
young representative. Mr.. Montague, al
though always a strict party man. has
never trained with the machine Indeed
he won the office of attorney general
against that element
On the ill-feeIing likely to be aroused by
the skrmshes between the democratic as
.pirants the republicans are building some
hopes. 1t is said that they will most likely
put state ticket in the field headed by
Col j. Hampton Hoge. one of the most
forcible and eloquent orators In that party
The republicans believe that the steps be-
ing made to diSfranchise the negro will re-
suit in solidffying their vote against the
democratic nominees, and that they will
stand a chance to win.