The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-08


Former Instrumental Number
of Changes Likely to BE Made.
RICHMOND. Va. June S-The conven-
ton to frame a new constitution for Vir-
ginia viii assembLs IN Richmond next
"Wednesday.
The question OF converting such a body
has been before the people of the Old Do
minion for number Of years. In 1897 the
voters decided against revision of the con-
stitution. The question was submitted to
the people again at the spring elections in
1891. and the advocates Of the convention
then carried the day.
in framing the new constitution the
convention is expected to accomplish two
resuits-the djsfranChisement Of iIIiterate
voters and a reduction of the expenses
Of the State Government. These. are the
grounds upon which revision Of the con-
stitution Is justified. Those who favor
amending the constitution are not agreed
as to the extent to which the revision
should be carried. and differences of
opinion Will be emphasized in the proceed
ings OF the convention
Hon. J. N. Mullen. Judge Of the Hast
ings Court Of Petersburg. who is thor
oughIy informed upon the subject. makes
the following statement bearing upon the
work Of the convention
The present constitution is largely mod
eled upon that OF 1851. which It suppressed
ed It is known as the Underwood Con-
stitutiou.' and has been denounced as the
handiwork OF negroes and alien aGventuT-
ers. whose sole aim was political spoil and
profit.
THAT our constitution needs reforming
cannot be denied but it is not that abomi-
nation those gentlemen who have gone
daft on the subject OF constitutional re-
vision would have Us believe
The existing constitution has twelve
articles: but it IS unnecessary TO refer,
except in the most casual way, 10 Article
N ,militia), Article XI miscellaneous
provisions. homestead and other exemp-
tions. church property and heirship OF
property. or to Article XII future
changes in the constitution There are
no corresponding provisions 10 these in
the constitution of 1851 or in either one
of those that preceded il. Those relating
10 the militia arr of a very general Ga-
tuVe and could be retained or eliminated
without detrimeat- Perhaps its regulation
should be left entirely with the Legisla-
ture. It may be assumed that homestead
exemptions have come to stay
The 'Bill OF Rights which IS the sub
jeCt OF Article !. contains five pa-aSrap hs
Nos >. >. Is, %. and 2I-not heretofore
found therein They were deemed neccs-
sary in order to clearly define the status
of the State toward those who had been
slaves and toward the Federal Govern
meut under the conditions imposed by the
result of the civil var Whether these
paragraphs should be eliminated or modi-
fled may lie considered by the convention
There has been very little discussion
along this line
1t has been suggested that Article H.
declaring that the coordinate branches Of
government shall be separate and dis
tinCt, should also pT0vIGe that no person
shall hold a county or municipal and a
State Office at the sane time In my
judgment there should be some such
check. for, as the author Of this suggss-
ton says while ii Is quite common, it Is
none the less reprshensibIe 10 have the
Offices OF Commemorative Attorney and
members OF the General Assembly fled
b. the same officer at the same time
The Elective Franchise ard QuaIiica-
tons for Once Is the title Of Article III
II confcrs the right to vote upon every
male citizen and not merely upon every
white male citizen as does the CORES
ponding article Of the constitution of ISL
The other qualifications are substantially
alike II both. except that our present
constitution disfranchises for dueling
Another departure Is the voting by ballot
instead IF viva vCce- There are some atT-
vocates of this old tviva voce) system.
but IN NY opinion, Il VIII not be adopted
Should the convention have the JeTnerity
10 TeviE this method Of voting, which OBJ
tanned when every voter was free and
equal IN fact as well as in theory. il Will
be promptly rejected by the people
II he main objection urged 10 article III
y tL.1t u - - Seii'4S t,te-lacS 10 "H!t@
suprema-y- This apprehension largely
controlled the action Of the Legislature
IN submitting to the people the question
OF calling a constitutional convention.
This question Of converting such a body
was voted down BY the people in 1897 for
the reason that until s-~Teurlv il was the
consensus Of opinion that amendments l.
and l. 10 the Federal Constitution effectu-
ally barred legislative relief from the evils
OF negro suGra ge- Other needed reviSi9us
and even this, could have been secured in
the same manner the six amendments al
ready eCGrafted upon Jhe constitution
were adopted: that is. through legislative
eHactmcHts submitted 10 the people for
their ratification.
The Executive Department is the sub
Ject Of Article ". II differs from the cor
responding article Of the constitution Of
lS5l IN that It empowers the Governor to
remove political disabilities consequent
upon conviction and COufeTs upon him the
veto power It also provides for the es-
td5ilsAutII OF 4 bureau OF statistics q
bureau of agricultural chemistry and ge-
oIogy, and q bureau of agriculture and
lEny-lI era 5lOn
The Legislative Department is the
topic Of Article Y The House Of Dele
gates and the Senate have fewer mem
beTs than under the constitution Of 1851.
Now the House shall consist of not more
than lgJ and not less than % members.
and the Senate Of not less than 3 nor
more than - members: then the House
had 80 members and the Senate 80 The
appnrJonmenJ Of representation and the
qualifications Of Senators and Delegates
differ somewhat
Under the present constitution only
such persons, otherwise qualified, as hold
salaTied officers under the State govern
Tneut are disqualified from being members
Of the General Assembly. Under that of
1851 other restrictions were imposed. It
Is insisted by some that no person holding
a salaTied public Office OF employed on
salary By any private individual, or in
dividuals OF firm. or corporation. or re-
tanned attorney by anyone, shall be
permitted to qualify q member Of either
house Of the General Assembly. These
restrictions are somewhat along the line
Of the old constitution, but more stTin-
gent.
when We come to consider the powers
and duties of the General Assembly as
prescribed BY the present constitution