The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-11-14
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

The salaries of the Judges OF the circuit
and corporation courts will probably be
left to the General Assembly.
4 corporation commission of three is
provided Tor, the employers liability prln'
ciple il embraced, and there is II prohih'.
tion against State. county orcity officers
using free passes.
Senator Daniel has declared that he
will soou return 10 his seat in the lonNeh'
ton. aud il il likely he will come in time
to be heard on the suffrage question, I"
which he has given much attention
The report of the Committee on County
Organization was amended 80 as 10 re-
uuire the Boards of Supervisors TO meet
mt regular and fixed periods and maze
mandatory upon the boards To levy taxes.
President Goode submitted the report
of the committee of five appointed 10
consider what if any, action was neces-
sary touching the meeting of the Legisia-
ture Decemberj The report recommends
that n committee be appointed To confer
with the Legislature ~ to the meeting oi
the convention in its present hall.
The convention also amended the re-
mort of the committee so as not To make
iustices of the peace and constables ton
stitutional offices. This was done IN
view of the statement that the Judiciary
Committee will recommend in It's report
that justices of the peace shouted be APP
pointed by the circuit courts instead oil
being elected by the people, a. at present.
There was much discussion in the com
mittee of the whole on the question oil re-
ouiring the Boards OF SuperyisOrs tomeet
monthly and giving them authority To
audit the accounts of commissioners.
The view which prevailed was that these
matters of detail should be lett To the
Legislature to fix.
Mr. Rrnxtons suffrage plan provides
for the " grandfather clause and soldier
exemptions This, it Is .thought, VIII EN-
brace all OF the whites The plan then
declares that in theevent these provisions
should become imperative from any
cause the subjoined one, making the pay
ment of poll tax Of not less than : %.
be effective
In the latter provision. too. negroes
are prohibited from holding any Office
in this state. The alternative PROPOSE
tons are intended to supply n Constitu-
tional suffrage clause in the event the
Federal Supreme Court should declare
the grandfather provision unconstltu-
tiOnal
The inhibition of the ncgrOesirom hold
ing office is also put in because. should
the grandfather plan prove abortive, the
people of the black belt could never he
menaced by the lear of having colored
officials il matters not how those sections
might go politically.
Ex-Gov. Cameron submitted the report
of the Committee on Executive Depart
ments signed by all the members II
contains new article for Article
( OF the present Constitution, relat-
ing 10 the qualifications and duties
OF Governor and Lieutenant GOVer
nor. The most significant change
in these is that it permits the Governor
TO recommend an amendment to bill
submitted for his approval. After such
amendment the Legislature must pass
such section of bill by two-thirds vote.
The Observation-Disclosures is also made a
member Of the Board of Public Works
Another change il that requiring the
Secretary of the Commonwealth to he
elected by the people instead OF by the
Legislature, as at present. He isalso re-
uuired. in addition to his present duties
10 perform those attaching to the Regis
ter Of the land Office. His salary Is To be
fixed by the General Assembly and all
fees coming into his Office are 10 be paid
into the treasury The Bureau OF Agricul-
ture remains as it now is, as do the Offices
Of the Auditor of Public Accounts and
the Treasurer,