Evening star., 1901-06-22
FRANCHISE QUESTION Up.
Republican Member of the Convention
Offers Resolution.

ORers Resolution.
Special From Stan Correspondent
RICHMOND, Va, June 22-When the
constitutional convention assembled today
Delegate Summers of Washington county,
one of the twelve republicans in the body,
introduced the following suffrage resoIu-
tions: That universal manhood suffrage as
now existing continue as to all electors now
permitted to vote, both white and black,
and the new voter, after the period Of two
years, be required to read intellgently the
Declaration of Independence the bill of
rights, the decalogue and the Lord pray
er; and after a period of five years every
new voter shall own in his own right $500,
unincumbered thus giving the incentive to
education and wealth without infringing on
the inherent rights of the present voter
That we, as freemen, rejoice that the
fourteenth and 10th amendments to the
Constitution of the United States exist and
pray for their continuance. protection and
enforcement And We would bewail the re-
peal of either as national calamity the
beginning of a despotism unbearable by a
free people.
That the requirement of payment of an
excessive poll tax as a prerequisite TO vot-
ing is an oppression on the poor white man
and negro, destitute of every principle and
Of right, devoid of equity and good con-
science.
That we deplore with alarm the reso-
1utions of Firginians to rob their fellow
men of citizenship for political ends ONLY
That representation should be appor-
toned and reapportioned in accordance
with the vote cast.
That poll tax of so cents be the max
fmum tax on an elector owning no prom
erty. and that the poll tax on an elector
owning property be increased from 50 cents
as other levies in proportion to property
real and personal owned by said elector"
Mr. KeezelI's Resolution.
Mr.. keezell of Rockingham presented the
following: That the committee on tax
alton and finance be instructed to report
such ordinances as will provide a better.
more just and certain system of reaching
the invisible wealth of the state and of
subjecting it to its proper share of the
burdens of taxation.
Delegate Meredith of Richmond. one of
the influential men of the convention. in
troduced resolution providing a poll tax
OF $3, and stipulating that No person shall
be entitled to vote at any election unless
he shall be able to read any section Of the
constitution Of this state. or unless he shall
have honorably served in the army or navy
of the confederate states at some time
or unless he shall have served in the army
or navy of the United States in time of war
and honorably discharged"
A flood Of resolutions poured into the con-
ventiOn today, covering nearly every sub
ject likely to come up for consideration
hereafter
Mr.. Moore of Fairfax offered resolu-
tion providing for the appointment of a
special committee of eleven members to
devise means for reducing the expenses of
the state and local government.
Mr.. OFlaherty of Warren offered a resO-
luton inviting William Jennings Bryan to
address the convention when he visits
Richmond. AS the resolution was read
there were loud murmurs of disapproval
from the delegates.
Mr.. O'F1aherty asked immediate consid-
Grafton of the resolution. BY an over
whelming vote the convention refused to
consider the resolution.
The convention then adjourned until next
Tuesday. n. o. NJ.