The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-29

and ability, not mere qidLiei'S -, -
hers. Perhaps every member of the Leg
isIat11re if oyeried will readily say tndl
eighty members for o State convention
will he enough and to spare especiahS
when the solons remember tnat 1t con-
yention of SO members Is q mucn idlSSi
body than that which framed the present
ratchless Constitution of the United
States, even then enlpfaclhs tii'SS -
nuns e coo OWEN OF 1890.
For a moment just think of that great
Convention OF 1880 as q precedent as
to men and numbers. James Monroe, eN-
President was a member ana It's nrsl
president After him. F. 2. Barbour. VINO
had been speaker OF the United states
House of Representatives, and was az
forward a Justice of the United States
Supreme Court by appointment OF An
drew Jackson, was it's president ES-
President James Madison then IN ms
seyenty-ninth year; John Marshall then
Chief Justice of the United States; Abel
P Upshur who was Secretary OF the
Navy and Secretary of State under Presi-
dent Tyler; William B. Giles, then Cover
nor of Virginia; and why should not
Governor Tyler be Il member OF this con-
ventfon Surely here is an apt and strik-
ING: precedent John Tyler, who had
then been Governor and was afterwards
made Senator. Vice-President ana PreSi-
dent: John w Jones. of Chesterfield at
forwards Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatiyes of the United States; Little
ton Waller Tazeweil, the great lawyer.
Governor and United States SENATOR
John Y. Mason, before stated, presi-
dent of the Convention of tS50-'5t: John
Randolph. of Roanoke: Philip Doddridse,
of Brooke now a part of West VirSiniE;l,
the great leader OF the white basis party;
George c. Dromgoole. the eloquent son of
Brunswick; Watkins Leigh; Chapman
Johnson, the great lawyer of that day,
and John S. Barbour. of Cupeper, after
wards for many years Congressman,
the father of the late United States Sena-
tor John S. Barbour, and of James Bar
bour. who was the youngest member OF
the Convention OF 1S50-'5i, and who was
also q member of the Convention of 1861
Surely our coming Legislature can safely
follow the makeup of so great a conven-
ton as a safe precedent to observe as TO
the method of choosing the delegates for
the Convention of 1901
4 convention chosen according to Sena-
tOrial Districts, to consist of so members,
would give two members to each Senator
ial District except Richmond city and
Henrico. which would nave four mem
bers. there bstng thtrty-nine Senatorial
Districts as now constituted, each Of
which has one Senator except Richmond
and Henrico with two.
MOLE THAN TWO QUESTIONS.
Those who slave insisted on holding this
convention alleged that the two great
questions 10 be dealt with are suffrage
and public economy. But thoughtful peo-
pie are concerned as to what VIII be the
pow,r and influence of the railways and
the insurance companies and ether cor
poratons; and looming above all is the
great educational question now safely en-
treuched III the Underwood Constitution
ard first provided FOR in that instrument;
- \ to-.
there be d disposition to dtslodSe it? And
tho r7rt+ e=tfor ~ there he an effort
so to ortEain as TO increase it? And as
bearing on the public economy question,
.,..- ,.@-sS..t eto,.-5-el ys,e>.n OF Comfy
and Circuit Courts ana cGmRr0as county
orsaySild tons be retained? Almost surely
So il delegates equal in number to the
membership OF the present House Of Del
egates are provided for, because the
county officials will surely be able to see
to IL that no one of their Offices is dis
pensed with and If no Offices are abolished
the convention as 20 reducing State ex-
per.ditures will be mishty failure
SHOULD NOT MEET EsAR-T
The convention Should not meet before
the fall, say. September LIST. and at what
ever place the majority OF delegates shall
select or falling that, at whatever point
the Governor may convene them The
reason for this IS that in case of any
epedeulic they ought rot to he required
To assemble anywhere arbitrarily OF
course, as soon as the delegates meet aal
organize it will be IN ti?efr power 70 adj
jolirn to any point in the State that they
deem best suited for tleir deliberations.
take it for granted that the delegates
will be chosen on the fourth Thursday in
May next; then the heae of summer
should be permitted to pass before the
delegates assemble. The compensation of
the Convention OF 1sa9'3o was the pay Of
the General Assembly. wlTcfl was tle sim
OF & pier Gay. / think That great con-
vention sat just one hundred days. as
sembling October ), 1873. and adjournins
sine die January l5 1850. II worked on
Christmas eve and the day after Christ
mas OF 1893
The compensation ought TO be fixed at
$50 each At one hundred days this, VIII
be So a day. S1rets one hundred days
ought to be long enough for the eoayen-
ton TO formulate 4 Constitution II the
delegates sit Longer. let It be under st0od
that this sum is all the State expects TO
pay item
OF course, it is true that the members
once assembled In convention can over
rule an actsos the Legislature and make
other or larger comleHsa tioEl. o. { Z IS