Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-08-09
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

school funds in proportion to the
taxes paid. He speaks of the negro
problem as pre-eminently the South
ern white mans burden. He also
urges that by the same system of
division by taxes the poorer white
people would be deprived of educa-
tlonal advantages.-Richmond News.
Since the Convention will likely
decide upon an increased poll-tax,
and it is unlikely that any part of
it will be devoted to Confederate
pensions, some of our exchanges
urge that it be devoted to the public
roads. This is not bad idea. By
the-way, the matter of improved
roads is another of the important
items which the Convention has
seemed to overlook.-Fres Lance.
A great effort is to be made to
effect important changes in the jury
system. 1t is not contemplated TO
propose any change in the jury sys-
tenn, AS it applies to criminal cases.
But it is In civil cases that the re-
volt against extravaganza and the
shackles of antiquated custom is
being made and will continue to be
made. Among the bills affecting the
jury system one is designed to re-
duce the number of jurors in civil
cases from twelve to seven or less;
another seeks to abolish the unanim
ity rule aud permit a majority or a
two thirds or three-fourths majority
of jury to find verdict.
INTRODUCED.
BY Mr.. Bristow, of Middlesex:
That all citizens of Virginia can
take or catch fish, oysters and other
shell fish on the public rocks and
fishing grounds of the Common
wealth without pay. The natural
oyster beds or rock shall be held in
trust by the State for the perpetual
benefit and use of the citizens and
taxpayers thereof. All creeks and
parts of creeks within the survey or
grant, aud all land now under water
as a result of the high land having
been washed away, and all creeks,
coves or inlets, the mouths of which
are two hundred feet or less wide at
low water, are hereby declared to be
the private property of the land
owners under said grants and SUR
veys, and shall have protection
against tresspassers of every descrip-
ton. That the bottoms of the
creeks, rivers and bays not included
In the foregoing sections and situ-
ated between low water mark and
the oyster beds or rocks of said
creeks, rivers and bays, must first be
discarded by the adjacent land-own-
ers before they can be used by other
parties for planting grounds. That
any person not citizen of the Com
monwealth who pays taxes on two
thousand dollars worth of prop
erty may propagate oysters in the
waters of the State.
IN COMMITTEES.
1t was decided that the white and
colored schools should be kept sepa-
rate and distinct.
Judge Richmond, of Scott, ap-
peared before the retrenchment COM
mittee and made a strong argument
for the abolition of the office of
county superintendent of schools.
He said it was nothing more than
political machine.
The committee heard the fourth
debate on the resolution of Mr..
Dunaway prohibiting the General
Assembly from appropriating funds
to any Institution of sectarian ma
ture. The resolution had once be-
fore been defeated, and was up again
on motion to reconsider. Messrs.
Tprnbull, Westcott, Qaarles and
Richmond spoke for, and Messrs.
Robertson, Harrison and Blair
against putting such a section in the
Constitution, but thought it a mat
ter for Legislative regulation, as
now obtains. The vote was 5 to 5,
and the resolution failed of adoption
for the third time.
One of the most picturesque speak
ers before the Committee on Educa-
tion in opposition to dividing the
school fund was Giles B. jackson, a
colored attorney and secretary of the
Negro Business League of Virginia.
He told very humorous story illus
trative of the friendship Of the
Southern white man for the negro.
Twenty years ago he was loafing
about the State capitol and asked
Mr.. b. 2. Owen, now private secre-
tary to Gov. Tyler, thenSa newspaper
writer, for the loan of a dollar.
jackson told in his ininitable dia-
lect how Owen advised him to study
law. He secured license and is
now at the top of the profession
among his race, being worth many
thousands of dollars.
Mr.. Stebbins foi the sub-commit-
tee appointed to investigate the ques-
tion Of taxation of mineral output,
made a verbal report of the result of
Investigations msde. He said the
output of coal mines in 1900 was
2,l05,791 tons, valued at the mines
at ga cents, made its gross value
$1,304,241; that the whole amount
of mineral property listed in the
State amounted to 1884, 1856, on
which the State received in taxes
only $f,139.04. Mr.. Fairfax said
that coal lands paid no tax at all.
They were listed as farm lands val
ued at about $3.50 per acre, and
minerals we're considered only as i'm
proyements, just as farm dwelling,
etc. The tax list of Tazewell couh-
/ - L. ho.,.a of Alo D.. Aaa O-..l