Evening star., 1901-07-20
Report at Today's Meeting o.
Virginia Convention.
4 MINORITY STATEMENT PROBABLE
Provision Proposed in Regard to
the Issue of Divorces.
RIGHTS OF SUFFRAGE
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

RICHMOND, Va, July 20-The consti-
tutional convention has about gotten ready
for the debates. 1t came today, when
Chairman Green submitted the report of
the committee on preamble and bill Of
rights. prefacing the report with the state
ment that it was only partial report and
that the minority would likely submit a
report. He asked that the report be laid
on the table and printed for the informa-
tfon of the members This was ordered
He gave notice that he would call the re-
port up for consideration early next week.
President Pro Tenn. Anderson presided
over the session today, which lasted for
the usual twenty minutes Prayer was
offered by the Rev. George Cooper of the
First Baptist Church. Sixty-e members
answered to their names. The attendance
of visitors was the smallest yet, not more
than score being present. Delegate Nc
Ilwaine of Prince Edward presented the
following:
Divorce Proceedings.
Whereas in order to the legal consum-
nation of the marriage relation in the
state Of Virginia a license from the proper
state official is necessary, the common
wealth thus making itself a party to and
the custodian of the contract;
Therefore, be it resolved, That the COM
mittee on the legislative department be and
| is hereby requested to report provision to
be engrafted into the constitution requiring
the general assembly to enact laws making
the commonwealth party in all divorce
proceedings hereafter instituted in any
court of this state; the commonwealth be-
ing represented by it's city county at
torney, as the case may be, whose duty
it shall be to inquire carefully into all the
facts, and if it shall be found that either
or both parties have been guilty of misde-
meanor or crime leading up to the breach
of marriage, they shall be indicted and
punished as the law may direct
The following resolutions were introduced
and referred.
BY Mr. Bristow of Middlesex-Providing
that all natural oyster beds and rocks
shall be free to the people of the state,
and that non-residents shall have the right
to propagate oysters in Virginia waters
upon the payment of taxes on property to
the value of 5000.
BY Mr.. Quarles of fAugusta-Empowern
the governor to name commission of
three to revise the code of Virginia to
conform to the new constitution and au-
thorizing the general assembly to fix COM
pensation.
Delegate Earman of Rockingham-A bill
to prohibit the improper uses of school
funds, which provided that no teacher,
state, county, township or district school
officer shall be interested in the sale, pro-
ceeds or profits of any book, apparatus or
furniture, material or supplies, used or to
be used in any school in this state. with
which such officer or teacher may be con-
nected, under penalties as may be provid-
ed by the general assembly.
BY Mr.. Summers of Washington (by re-
quesD Petition Of janitors for increased
pay for long hours.
Mr.. Daniel of Campbell stated that ne
had been detained from the session for two
days without leave. and he asked the con-
vention to excuse him, which was done on
motion of Delegate McIlwaine
convention q
Daniels Suffrage Plan.
Senator Daniel today presented to the
suffrage committee his clause affecting the
electorate. and in presenting the paper en-
joined the members of the committee to
secrecy. He said that the plan was not
entirely completed, though in speech Of
half hour he outlined the provisions.
The members were not inclined to discuss
the matter freely, saying the proposition
was so complicated that it was difficult Ct
comprehension. AS outlined by Senator
Daniel the proposition calls for a resi-
dence of two years in the state, one year
in county or city and thirty days in pre-
cinct
Property to the value of $500 is to be
held by the voter, his wife or father;
poll tax Of 81 is compulsory; men who have
done military service to the United States
government or the United States are ex-
empted, as are also persons over the age
Of sixty years; no person is to be ex-
empted from payment of poll tax who
draws pension from the state or the
United States and persons who receive a
salary or stipend are to be required to pay
poll tax. Persons Of recognized good
character and education are to be exempt
ed in discretion of local boards from the
property qualifications.
The plan Is said to be more comprehen-
sive that the Mississippi plan, the prin-
ciples Of the latter being embodied. Dele
gates Kendall and William A. Anderson ad-
dr. essed the committee tentatively advocat-
ing the plan submitted by Major Daniel,
but reserving their final decision until the
plan shall have been printed and carefully
digested.
Senator Daniel was asked by the news
paper men for copy Of his plan but he
declined to give one, saying it was not
completed, but that 1t would be finished
shortly.
The following report Of the committee On
preamble and bill Of rights was as follows
1t is understood that the preamble was the
work of John S. Barbour of Culpeper:
Constitution.
Whereas. pursuant to an act of the gen.
eral assembly of Virginia, approved March
the fifth in the year of our Lord nineteen
hundred, the question. Shall there be
convention to revise the constitution and
amend the same?" was submitted to the
electors Of the state of Virginia, qualified
to vote for members of the general assem-
y,
state on the fourth Thursday in May in
the year nineteen hundred, at which cleo
ton a majority of the electors so qualified
voting at said election did decide in favor
of convention for such purpose; and
Whereas the general assembly at its next
session did provide by law for the election
of delegates to such convention, in pursIi-
ance whereof the members of this con-
vention were elected by the good people
of Virginia to meet in convention for such
purpose.
We, therefore, the delegates Of the good
people OF Virginia so elected and in con-
vention assembled. do ordain and declare
the future form of government Of Virginia
to be as followeth:
Article 1-BIll of Rights.
A declaration Of rights. made by the rep
resentatives of the good people of Vir-
ginia, assembled in full and free conven-
ton. which rights do pertain to them and
their posterity the basis and founda-