Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1901-09-14
Constitutional Convention.

A clause providing for punishment
Of anarchists will be presented to the
convention.
II is thought that the convention
will complete its work by the middle
OF next month.
The Judiciary committee will. it is
said, recommend that the County
court be retained.
The convention has adopted with
out opposition the section of the Bill
of Rights relating to the word
"Christian" which has attracted SO
much attention.
The permanent franchise plan,
which seems TO meet with the ap-
proval of the greatest number of the
members OF the committee, does not
receive the very hearty Endorsement
of some of the South Side members.
This scheme. while it promises to
put nearly all, if not all, of the white
men on the temporary list, places
the young whites who come in under
the operations of the permanent plan
on the same footing with the blacks
that is, there will be no exemptions
from the ownership of property or
the requirement to prepare the bal
lot without aid. Not only that, but
il is pointed out that the negroes
who are rejected under the under
standing clause of the temporary
plan may afterwards apply for adj
mission under the provisions If the
permanent one and be passed.
The most important proposition
now before the Constitutional Con-
vention is the Braxton plan, which
contemplates radical change in the
system of taxation. 1t is proposed to
take away from the cities and coun-
ties the right to impose taxes upon
railroads or to issue liquor licenses
In exchange for these, the plan is to
give the local authorities the ex-
elusive right to tax all real estate.
The revenue derived by the Com
mon wealth, cities and counties and |
school districts, from taxes on rail-
roads, amounts to about $3.50, 900 an
nually. OF this amount $250,000 goes
into the State treasury and the res
mainder is collected by the local
The proposition before
the Committee on Finance now is to
increase the tax on railroads to an
amount sufficient to augment the |
revenues 100000 or 100000 a year.
1t is also proposed to increase the
liquor license tax to an amount suffi-
Gent to largely add to the revenues
from that source.
The Constitutional Convention
spent Tuesday in considering sec-
tons Of the report of the Committee
On the Bill of Rights relating to jury
trials. The proposition was to do
away with jury in all cases where
1eath was not the penalty and in
which the accused pleaded guilty
md gave his consent for the case to
De disposed of by the judge. Mr..
Petit and Mr.. Braxton made a siren
1ous fight against this principle. The
ormer insisted that the convention
vas venturing upon dangerous
ground In proposing such radical
'hange affecting the liberty of per-
ons accused of crime. The chair
nan of the committee finally accept
ID Mr.. Waddill's amendment to the
ection as reported by his committee.
This amendment provides that in
my case where the accused pleads
utility with his consent the court
nay fix his punishment without the
Intervention of jury, and that upon
plea of not guilty in any case where
he punishment may not be death, /,
With his consent entered of record !
nd with the consent of the Cons =!
nonwealth's Attorney, the court I
lay hear and determine the case. :