Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-05-09
THURSDAY, MAY 9, 1901.
ANOTHER REASON EXPLODED.

question was being agitated several
years ago the chief reason urged for max
ing new constitution was a reduction IN
the administrative expenses Of our State
government. That reason Was not con-
sidered sufficiently urgent, and for time
the agitation of the question of new con-
stitution was discontinued.
Last year the convention question was
again brought prominently to the 'front.'
but other reasons we're then assigned as
necessity for changing the constitution or
making new one. The reforming OF our
suffrage laws and the publication OF cleo
tions were declared to be of such impor'
lance that no delay should be made IN
holding convention and making new
constitution that would accomplish those
objects. 1t was declared by the Demo
cratic press, at least those papers that
favored the holding of a convention, that
the negro vote would have to be elmna'
ted from the elections in Virginia, or that
the politics of the State would'become too
disgraceful to bear. For time it was I'M
derstood to be the purpose of the conven'
ton to deprive negroes of the right OF
suffrage. There seemed to be an almost
unanimous opinion that that would be
done, and without taking away from any
white man, privileged to vote by the pres
ent constitution, the right to vote. All
kinds of plans were suggested to frame a
constitutional provision that would elm
mate the negro vote, without affecting the
white vote. Suddenly change was seen
in public sentiment on that line, and the
extremists who had been urging wholesale
negro Acknowledgement began to shit their
positions. Now no newspaper or political
leader is foolish enough to advocate the
extreme measures in connection with SUI
frage that were so commonly proposed
by the convention advocates six months
ago.
Perhaps it has been made plain that
suffrage law which discriminates against
the negro and fayors the white man would
be in violation Of the Federal Constitution,
or it NAV be that men are becoming more
reasonable and see the great danger that
might result from class or race discrim-
ination. At any rate, we hear very little
now about restricting sufrage,as compared
with what was said and written few
months ago.
The old cry about a reduction in the ex-
penses of the State government has again
been introduced, and the same old COM
parsons between the expenses of the gov
eminent of Virginia and those of North
Crrolina are being brought into use. The
Charlottesville Progress recently tried to
give prominence to the question in long
editorial showing that the expenses of
Virginia were much heavier than those of
North Carolina.
Judge Mullen, of the Hastings Court
of the city of Petersburg, has prepared
series of articles which will be published in
the Richmond Times and are reply to
the article in the Charlottesville Progress.
The Times says: "We have applied to
Judge Mullen to prepare for US these ar
ticles because he was for many years
practicing attorney in the State of North
Carolina and from time to time member
of the State Senate and is entirely familiar
with the North Carolina system. He is
also familiar with the Virginia system and,
therefore, is in position to make compar-
isons and draw distinctions"
Judge Mullen published his first COM
munication in the Times of the LIST inst.
and controyerted very successfully the
claim that the ordinary administrative ex-
penses Of the State government of Vir'
GINA are in excess of those of North Car
DINA. He published another commune
cation in the Times of the End inst, and
shows, beyond the power of successful con-
tradiction, that the claim which has been
so repeatedly made that the Virginia sys-
TEN requires many more officers than that
of North Carolina is without foundation in
fact. In only one department of the
government, the judicial, has Virginia
more 0HcefS tnan NOrtn CafOllna. ne
also demonstrates that the cost of assess
ing property and the collection of the rev.
enues in North Carolina is heavier than in
Virginia. So another prop will have to be
taken from the structure convention advo-
Gates have been building for the people of
Virginia to look upon.
Each day only makes the conclusion
stronger that so far as Virginlas welfare
was concerned there was no use of going
to the expense and trouble of holding
constitutional convention. Any revision
that was necessary could have been made