Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-09-13
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

The committee favors incorporat-
ing in the Constitution a provision
appropriating annually $4,000 to
the University of Virginia.
The committee has decided that
the present county court must go,
but the old familiar "cote day" will
be retained, to be observed by hold
ing some form of court monthly.
BY vote of SO yeas to 26 nays the
Virginia Constitutional Convention
adopted a resolution not to deter
mine the question of submission
until after the Constitution is framed.
The Committee on Bill of Rights
settled the homestead question by
agreeing to allow the present sections
of the Constitution to remain un-
changed so far as they related to the
Homestead exemptions with the ad-
dition of two important amendments,
offered by Mr.. Barbour, designed
to prevent fraud on creditors. One
provides that when property on
which the purchase money has not
been paid is exchanged for other
property, the new requirement shall
be excepted from the homestead as
was the original. The other pre-
vents the owner of shifting merchan-
disc from claiming a homestead on
such class of property when bills
due for same are unpaid.
At a meeting of the Taxation Com
mittee the members questioned
speakers very closely as to what
principle could be followed in for
mulating the provision in the Con-
stitution regarding the taxation of
the property of secret orders. Major
Sol. Cutchins, of Richmond, told of
the work of the Masons, show
ing that the order is one of pure
charity, and that there can be no
money-making on the part of those
who JOIN, and that if man expects
to obtain monetary reward he is
not allowed to become Mason. He
discussed the affairs of the Masonic
Temple Association, to show that
there is no money to be made in the
order. His statement regarding the
work which is being done at the
Masonic Home for the Orphans of
Masons was listened to with the
closest attention, and created strong
impression. The sentiment of the
speakers seemed to be that those
orders which make the insurance
feature their chief one should be
taxed, that the orders exempted
should be the Masons, the Odd
Fellows. the Knights of Pythias, and
the Red Men.
Much of this week has been spent
in discussing the Bill of Rights and
especially Article 9. Following is
the Article referred to: That in all
capital or criminal prosecutions a
man hath a right to demand the
cause and nature Of his accusation,
to be confronted with the accusers
and witnesses, TO call for evidence
in his favor, and to speedy trial
by an impartial jury of his vicinage,
without whose unanimous consent
he cannot be found guilty, nor shall
any person be twice put in jeopardy
for the same offence; nor can he be
compelled to give evidence against
himself; that no man be deprived of
his life or liberty, except by the law
of the land or the judgment of his
peers. But upon plea of guilty by
the accused in person, or without a
plea of guilty with the consent of
the accused and of the Common
wealth entered Of record, the court
may hear and determine any crimi-
nal case WITHOUT the intervention of
a jury; and the General Assembly
may by law provide for the trial, by
a justice of the peace, without q
jury, of persons accused of criminal
offences not punishable by death OF
confinement In the penltentiary, but
in all such cases the General Assem-
bly, shall preserve the right of the
accused to an appeal and trial by
jury in the appellate court.
TAX ON OYSTERS.
Members of the Board of Fisheries
made interesting talks before the
Committee on Taxation on the sub.
ject. They advocated striking out
Section 2 of Article X. of the Con.
stitution and the insertion of an
article providing that the natural
oyster beds, rocks and shoals should
never be leased or sold, but held in
trust for the people of the State.
The present section reads;
Sec. 2. No tax shall be imposed
on any of the citizens of this State
for the privilege of taking or catch.
ing oysters from their natural beds
with tongs in the waters thereof; but
the amount of sales of oysters sc
taken by any citizen in any one year
may be taxed at rate not exceeding
the rate of taxation imposed upon
any other species of property.
Delegate @. ii. Walker gave lucid
exposition of the laws relating to the
oyster industry, and strongly advo-
Gated striking out section 2 and
inserting section requiring that the
oyster grounds should be forever held
as sacred trust for the benefit of
all the people of the State. He
showed how the present Constitution
prevented the Legislature enactine
such laws as the people engaged in the
oyster industry needed, and the man.
ner in which it handicapped q bene.
fetal method of taxation. DR.. Duna,
way took the same position that Mr.
Walker and the Board of Fisheries
had advocated, with the addition
that the Baylor survey, which defined
and laid out the oyster rocks, should
be incorporated in the Constitution
Delegates Garrett and Hattor
spoke in favor of retaining section 2