The Washington times., 1901-08-09
TO AID THE CONSTITUTION.
The Virginia Document Mny Go to an
Abridged Electorate

| stood in this city tonight that an effort
viii be made in the gubernatorial conven-
l-tion to rescind the action of the Norfolk
| convention of last year which ordered
| that the people vote on the question of
| holding the constitutional convention and
| that the new constitution be submitted
| to the people for ratification or rejection.
| There is now strong movement among
| the members of the convention to have
the constitution submitted to an abridged
electorate.
Walter A Watson member of the
! Constitutional Convention and Common
| wealth's Attorney for Nottoway County.
was in the city yesterday and left here
last evening for trip North. He was
seen by reporter and asked to define
| his views the work done by the con-
vention. Mr. Watson said:
What do the Richmond delegates want
to do with the negro? They have kept
silent on every occasion that has arisen
to get rid of the black man in politics.
They do not seem to have decided views
as to what they want done with the
negro
Mr.. Watson thinks that the negro should
be entirely eliminated from politics; that
| his race viii never be equal politically
or intellectually TO the Anglo Saxon. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Watson's views, the negro
has no right to be a politician or a voter;
on the other hand. he should permit the
white man to govern and rule-the affairs
of State and nation, without the aid or
advice of the blacks. Mr.. Watson is in
favor of scheme which will. not allow
any negroes to vote. He declares he does
not want to see another one cast ballot
in Virginia,
So far as the white man is concerned,
Mr.. Watson does not want him to be de-
prived of a vote under any circumstances.
He wants it so fixed that the white people
will not be hampered when they go to
the polls. The male members of every
family who have paid $500 in taxes
should be entitled to yite, and all SOL
diers over sixty should be exempt from
taxation and allowed tu cast their ballots.
An educational qualification seems to be
insignificant, so far as it pertains to the
white voter in the eyes of Mr.. Watson.
ii ? is also in favor Of eXempting all men
from garnishment who earn less than
SO per month.
What do you think of the scheme to
have district judges throughout the
State?" was asked.
Il think it a good thing The counties
would save great deal bv it, The drain
upon a county treasury to pay its judge
and Commemorative attorney is heavy.
MIR. Watson thinks that one judge can
preside over the courts in circuit of five
counties. land that each county would save
a large amount of money each month.
Commonwealth $ attorney has about three
days of hard work in each month. says
Mr. Watson. Sometimes not more than
one or two felony cases come before
term of county court and the session is
Of about two days duration.
1t has been learned here on what seems
to be unimpeachable authority that the
Constitutional Convention adjourned last
Friday in order to allow the members to
visit their homes and be enabled to go
to Norfolk next week to attend the gu
bernatorial convention. In fact, it is
knoYn that almost half the members of
the convention will go to Norfolk. State
Senator Carter Glass. Senator Daniel.
Messrs. Watson, Wysor, Withers, Judge
Barnes. and others Will be in Norfolk next
week.
Delegate Patteson. of Buckingham,
gives out the following interview:
AS much We desire haste, the con-
vention in its action should not be un-
necessarily hastened in its important
business. The public and the convention
are both working, and there need be
sort of doubt about the fact that the right
of suffrage will be properly restricted.
The people in the last decade and even
longer, bOlD IN the North ana IN the
South, have gone through evolution.
Negro suffrage in the South has seen it's
best Cor, rather, its worst) days. and is
gone to return no more for many long
years. until its suffragans have learned
to perform the proper function of voters.
The experiment has had fair. fun, and
honest trial. under the most favorable cir
cumstances, and ii has proved an utter
and complete failure. 1t has done great
harm. and has seriously retarded the
growth and prosperity of all the Southern
States of this Union. 1t will be radically
changed by this convention in Virginia.
Public opinion has crystallZed in the
opinion of the writer, and the following
principles have been practically agreed
upon as the proper basis for a change:
No man will be allowed to vote unless he
owns and pays taxes upon 500 worth of
property, real or personal. or both. or can
read and write the English language, and
has. thirty days or more before the cleo
tion, paid his capitation tax of 81; but,
with the exception of the capitation tax,
these provisions must not apply to Con-
fedeTate soldiers and sailors and their
lineal male descendants. To these quail
fcations must be added the fact that the
man who votes must be of sound mind,
must never have been convicted Of petty
larceny or felony, and must have resided
in the State twelve months, and in the
county city in which he casts his bal
lot for six months, before he can vote at
any election.