Evening star., 1901-07-12
Virginia Convention Continues to
Grapple With That Problem
REPUBLICAN DELEGATES MOTION
He Would Cut Representation in
Proportion to Franchise.
VOTING MACHINE ADVOCATE


Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
RICHMOND. Va. July 12.-The constitu-
tional convention got to work at noon, and
ninety-four members answered to their
names. President Goode was in the chair.
Prayer was offered by Delegate Rev. Dr.
Dunnaway of Lancaster county. Delegate
Pedigo of Henry, a republican. offered a
proposition looking to a prevention of the
disfranChising of negroes by providing for
a reduction of representation in the gen.
eral assembly. The resolution, which was
referred to the legislative department, in
stead of the suffrage committee, is fol-
lows: Resolved, That representatives IN
the general assembly shall be apportioned
among the several counties of the state ac-
cording to their respective numbers. count
ing the whole number of inhabitants. But
when the right to vote is denied to any of
the male citizens twenty-one years old and
not convicted of crime, the basis of repre-
sentatiOn shall be reduced in the proportion
that such male citizens bear to the whole
number of male citizens in the several
counties.
Threats of Omce-HoIding Rings.
Members OF the constitutional convention
being threatened with political retire
ment by the "office-holding rings" of the
various counties in the state. This is
caused by a desire of the convention to
decrease the number of state and county
officers, thereby diminishing the expenses
OF the government. 4 member of the con-
yention today received letter from a
school superintendent, saying that if he
supported any measure looking to the dis
continuance of mis- Office, that he will fight
him to the finish. and see that he is de-
feated in any effort for political prefer
ment- This is only one case. as many SINH
lar letters are being received.
Mr. GOOde laid before the convention a
communication from Mayor A. A Moss of
Newport News relative to the suffrage
question The letter was written al the re-
quest of President Goode, and provides for
a new registration every two years; voters
are to pay the poll tax yearly at least six
months before voting; receipts to be pre-
sented when the voter offers to register
and he must answer and sign all questions
asked by the registrar. After casting his
ballot. the voter must sign his name on
the registration book; voting precincts are
to have minimum of 2LD voters and n
maximum of 800. The novelty proposed is a
voting machine, follows: Voting shall
be done in the election by the Use of a
machine which machine shall lie adopted
by the legislature of the state and paid fer
by the county or city in which the election
is held
Specifications to the Machine
Said machine shall contain the names
of each candidate running for office with
title of office printed in plain tyne Each
machine being provided with appliances to
register and count the number of votes
cast for each candidate without exposing
the number of votes cast for each candi-
date, but exposing to the judges and pub
lie the total number of votes cast as a
unit.
Mr.. Mundy (rep) of Botetourt offered
proposition making it misdemeanor for
any person to pay the poll tax of voter,
imposing fine of $500 and disfranchising
such offenders for a period of five years.
BY Mr. Parks-Empowering telegraph
companies to construct and operate lines
along the public highways and to provide
Tor a single proceeding to construct line
along railway line.
Br. Mr.. Fairfax-To create a state tax
commission, consisting of the governor
auditor and treasurer and three other per-
sons. TO be elected from the state at large
whose duty ii shall be TO annually adjust
and equaliZe assessment of taxes for all
species of property.
Secretary Button laid before the conven-
tion reports from the various courts of the
state as to the number of cases begun and
ending for the past year. The report was
ordered to be printed for the use of the
convention
Mr.. Eggleston. from the committee on
a report from that committee regarding
inmates of the penitentiary, the number
who can read and write, color and sex
This is practically the same as was pub
hshed in the Richmond News few days
ago The report was ordered printed
The convention adjourned at 12:4O O. clock