Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-24
Virginia Convention Committee Re-
gard Their Cost as Excessive.
COLORED MEN given 4 HEARING
An Inquiry as to Use of Civil Con-
tingeat Fund.
LEA DIS TO d E 3 a L E


Special Dispatch The Evening Star
RICHMOND. Va. July 24.-The conven-
ton was called to order at noon, President
Goode presiding. Prayer was offered by
the Rev. w. r. L. Smith of the Baptist
Church. Mr.. Hancock presented a resolu-
ton empowering the privileges and cleo
tioEs committee TO arrange the legisla-
tive districts that ever county and city
should be represented.
Mr.. Hancock also presented two resolu-
tions-one fixing the poll tax at $50 and
the other to instruct the suffrage commit
tee not to report a property qualification
as a prerequisite to voting.
Mr. Watson of NottOway presented a suf-
frage bill. the features of which are two
years residence in the state. one in the
county. poll tax and all taxes to be paid
by April l. ownership of $500 worth of real
estate or 500 worth of personal property.
A resolution introduced by Mr. O'Flaher-
ty precpitated debate and gave inter-
est to the proceedings of the constit ution-
al convention. 1t was to require a state
ment Of the expenditures of the civil con-
tingent fund of $4,000 per year by the
governors for the pest zen years. The res
oldtion was follows:
Resolved. That the auditor of public ac-
counts be Instructed to furnish the COM
showing the amount of money appropriated
annually to what is known as the civil con-
tingent fund. for the last twenty years
and also an itemized statement showing
the disbursement of the same during the
same period, and for what purpose: also, a
statement showing what appropriations
have been made by the legislature for the
same period for The repair. Improvement or
maintenance OF the executive mansion. or
ior furnishing The same, or for any other
purpose connected with The maintenance of
the governor mansion or grounds.
The Subject Debated.
Mr. O'Flaherty asked immediate consid-
Grafton of the resolution, which was agreed
to, and the resolution was adopted Mr.
Thorn of Norfolk desired to hear The reso-
luton reported
Mr.. OFlaherty made the point that It
could not be reconsidered as no division
hdd been asked on announcement of the
decision by the president. The point was
sustained and formal motion was made
To reconsider by Mr. Hancock, which was
agreed To on roll call, A to IS.
Mr.. O'Flaherty recognized He Of
fered the resolution. he said. for the pur-
pose OF securing Information to enable him
70 vote on the question of the contingent
1und- lie did not desire to impugn tire ac-
lions of any one. The people had a right
TO know for what purpose their money had
Deem spent He was not seeking to dig up
=
anarchists or nihiists to be watched nor
crowned heads to defend.
Mr. Cameron had voted No" but he de-
slred TO change his vote; he no reason
why the acts of the public servants of Vir-
ginfa should not be investigated
Mr.. Meredith of Richmond was oD,oseI
10 the resolution; he was not disp0S d t,
cover up wrongdoing; If there was any IL
the resolution Were proper ne would vote
Tor 1t. but some of the governors during
the past twenty years Were dead, and it
would be hard for any person to recollect
an transactions for that period. The reso-
luton was unfair. He moved to refer it to
the committee
COiored Men Given a Hearing
The committee on education held an open
session this morning and heard representa-
We negro men on the proposition to divide
the school fund on the basis of taxation
paid by whites and blacks. The speakers
We're all negroes, and the speeches were all
conriliatory and in the nature of appeals to
the white men of Virginia to stand by the
Virginia negro and to lift him up.
Rev. r. H. Bouldin of Norfolk opened
the discussion. His remarks were along
the line of the duty of the white men of
the state who understood the negro and
who knew his possibilities. TO educate him
and to fit him for citizenship. The negro
could be made a good CITIZEN and he en-
PIored the committee not to make his
struggle for existence harder than now
iNSN- bI SIEdllstfIl OF tSlchmONd followed
He declared that the negro appreciated
what the white man had done for him.
the good element Of the negroes-the re-
spectacle, law-abiding class. He depre-
ciated the acts of the lower strata of negro
society. which had done so much 10 bring
reproach upon the negro and had retarded
MS progress He appealed In behalf of
the 5.'sD.oD negro Baptists of the state
for fair educational facilities
Rev g. B. Howell of Petersburg smoke
anu Giles %; jackson concluded the ar
suinent. which he presented in the shape of
a pamphlet with collection of statistics
showing that the negroes were amassing
property rapidly and were paying more
and more taxes each year
He presented the pamDhIet 70 tho CON,
sidered. 'o
Expenses of Legislature.
Inc committee on reduction of expenses
submitted a second report concerning the
ieSlslatlve department and the expenses
incident thereto. The report recommends
that the sessions of the general assembly
shall be for sixty days instead of ninetv
ana that the sessions be extended by a
three-nfthS vote of the members OF both
houses. Members are to be paid only for
sixty days in regular session and thirty
days at special session. The clerks of the
senate ana mouse are to be paid for work
aclhdIIy done during the session of the
general assembly and are never To be made
annual officers. The secretary of the COM
nloh"eaitn is TO perform the duties of
keeper of the rolls
Concluding the report says: I'VE further
respectfully recommend to the consldera-
uol OF the committee on the legislative de-
partnlent the excessive cost Of thu. clerical
iorce or the general assembly. which ex-
ciuolnS all sums paid TO other employees
such as pages, Janitors doorkeepers, &c,
amounts to 1876 per session and we re-
specttully recommend to said committee
the ACCESSIBILITY of reducing and limiting
the same The report was referred to
the committee on legislative departments
without debate.
The committee arose without action on
the executive department
MI Cameron hope not: / am on that
committee and may be investigated
MIR. Meredith-My object was TO defeat
the resolution; / withdraw the motion
The vote was then taken on the resoIu-
ton. and 1t was agreed to-ayes. III; noes,
s..
THE TRIP TO BUFFALO.
he Ma So