The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-21

gate was advocating the election OF school
superintendent by the people. and SAID
in the course of his fiery remarks:
THE superintendent of schools IN my
county is nothing but a political rlnsster,
a ballot-box suffer, or he is at the hedd OF
those who do this contemplate "orh. Ne
want to abolish the Office and we want
to abolish this man with It.
1--WE will do away with the miserable
Electoral Board in Scott county, that is
foisting this contemplate system of ma
chine politics upon Us IN their etlorts TO
throttle the viii of the plain people.
'.In a recent election in Scott county,
the papers sent out, purporting to be the
ballots to be cast in the lection, were
nothing but parts of OLD congressional rec
ords. cut the size of tickets and sealed
in packages.
what does your great board know
about the qualifications of John Smith.
for instance? They woulc know all about
Bin Smith, - he declared, with upiltteo
arm. ''They would know him. Mr.. Chair
man, because of his political notoriety:
ave. they would know because of his 10
ltical perfidy.'
General Ayres, who is Judge Richmond
brother-in-law reminded the convention
that the charges made by Judge Rich
mond had been fully Investigated by the
State Board of Education last summer,
and that MI. Smith had been fully vim
dictated and reappointed by the Board
MY distinguished brother-in-law,' con-
tinued General Ayers. can we'll afford
to make these charges under the protAc-
ton OF his membership hece"-but he
went no further before the delegate from
Scott was on his feet to say that he need
ed no projections; he had made them III
eighteen speeches III Scott county on
hp protection
even thera-
General Ayers ably defended the record
of Mr.. Smith When he had COW
Guided Judge Richmond said: MI
| Chairman since q question Of Veraclty
| has arisen between my distinguished
! brother-in-law and myself promise to
| bring the record here shortly to sustain
NV position before the committee"
! In view of the vigorous attack made
upon Superintendent Smith by Judge
| Richmond yesterday, inquiry was made
! at the Department of Public N
| struction concerning Mr.. Smiths record
Secretary Brent said unhesitatins!y
| that Mr. Smith was one of the very best
| superintendents in the State, and in sup
port of this, he produced reports to show
| that Scott county had as good school
| showing if not better than that OF any
| of the other counties. He said there Were
! 100 public schools in Scott county, ninety
seven OF which were white Out of all
| these. he says there is only one that falls
below the average attendance OF twenty
/ while, as a matter of fact, about one
| third of the schools in the entire State
! fall below the average in the matter OF
/ attendance The only school not prop
erly attended in Scott county, IS a colored
| one. anG; is situated in sparsely-settled
| community.
THE Judiciary Committee held its last
| session yesterday afternoon, and every
| member signed the report, which the
! chairman was requested to present TO the
! convention this morning. The report is
! identical with that published in The Times
Tuesday morning, except for few VerDai
| changes and an amendment to section
! two In regard to the jurisdiction OF the
! Supreme Court. At the session yesterday
| afternoon an earnest effort was made TO
! bring about n unanimous agreement on
| all points. This was found to be impossi-
| BILE. The roll was finally called and each
member stated the objections he should
| make to particular items OF the report.
| Finally it was agreed that the report
| should be signed, each member reserving
| the right as an individual to vote Tor
| amendments that might be offered in the
| Committee of the Whole.
| DELEGATE w. l.. CODD, OF OaIolllie Couii-
/ ~. lost by fire Tuesday night his splendid
| dwelling and contents, kitchen. smoke
! house and large barn. situated about
| miles west of Ruther Glen. Mr.. Cobb is
the delegate from Caroline county in the
| Constitutional Convention. Mr.. Cobb
| left on the noon train yesterday for his
| home so the particulars as to the burning
| of his property could not be learned His
| colleagues expressed the deepest regret
| at Mr. Ccbb's misfortune, as he is very
| popular in the convention. The
/ frequency Of mysterious fires in
| the State is the matter of much comment
/ here Mr.. Cobb is the third member of
| the convention who has suffered a SINH
lar loss--judge Gregory and Mr. Brax-
! ton being the other two It is regarded
| as a coincidence that these three members
i all sit in the same row and directly be-
| hind one another in the convention.
In view of the able papers published
! some time ago touching the constitutional
| revision Judge B. r. Wexford, Jr., has
| been invited to deliver a public address
on this and kindred subjects. a petition
/ has been circulated requesting. Judge
! Wexford to speak. and the Acadenly OF
| Music will be secured
| A great many representatives of various
| e., SO at -