The times., 1901-06-17
THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION
Delegates Discuss Plans for Chang
ing the Constitution.

Time Necessary to Mnp out the
Wori<-Opposition 10 Hnsty Action
on Amendments to De Proposed
Talk of Adjournment Until Fail.
RICHMOND. Va. June 1G.-In discuss
ing the work to be done by the Virginia
constitutional Convention, Judge J. w
orr. Of Lee County. said it would prob
ably take the delegates two or three
weeks to map out their programme. He
thinks that after the work is planned the
body Will then adjourn until September
Judge Orr then said: There is SO much
30 be done and not to be done. one feels
dazed in the contemplation. We have
master minds to guide us, though, and
patriotic hearts to trust in. and 1 believe
all viii be well
AS to the changes that viii be pro-
posed to our present constitution or
those ] shall support. 1 am not prepared
just now to say, except that l shall
heartily approve of any measures look
ing II a consolidation Of our elections
the more economical and practical ad-
iustmeut of our system of courts and
! county governments; the methods OF tax
alton and education"
Hunter b. CHAPMAN, Of Woodstock, a
delegate to the convention. said:
i cant see how the convention can
adjourn before staying in session long
enough to formulate, introduce and refer
to the appropriate committees the mat
ters TO be passed upon
Every resolution will have to run the
yantIet Of an able special committee, be
further discussed and considered on
favorable or unfavorabIe report in COM
+D-- -H,l btf
fer final disposition before the convention
proper.
while the convention as an organized
whole. may not be in session, its mem
bers. an OF whom like bees in a hive, Will
be constantly occupied on committees,
will have to hc at work. This work must
needs be done. When is better time
than now to do it,
about sixty davs is NV estimation of
the time required for this preliminary
stage. How can some members 90 nome
leaving the committees here, when the
outlook now is that each member VIII
have To serve 0u several committees BE
sides the new constitution, If one be de
Cided on. need not be adopted as a "hole
or reported at one time, ana VIII NOT De'
The sections of each article Will be con
sidc-ld separately and the article adopted
or rejected as "a whole as il comes from
the special committee. In tins way some
progress may be made each diy py snort
sessions of the convention, or AT least
debates may be heard on its comSnS up
for final passage. ] don't look for any
radical changes anyhow.
The suffrage clause Of the constitution
is puzzling the wisest men in the conNen-
tion. The more the subject j. discussed
the more serious become some OF the new
problems that are developed.
When the convention assemblies on
Tuesday il viii receive a memorial from
the Virginia branch of the Negro Busi-
ness League This will be the first step
by the Virginia negroes to prevent. II pos
sible the enactment OF any legislation
which they conceive may be detrimental
To their race. The memorial to be pre-
sented was drawn by W. +. Graham, Giles
3. Jackson and r. T. Hi. and has the
approval of Booker T. Washington, to
whom il was first submitted. The. Negro
Business League is the only authorized
body that will endeavor to appear before
the convention. II is the purpose of the
league 10 ask for hearings before the sew
eral committees that may deal with queS-
tions affecting the negro.
The memorial sets forth in general
te rms what the negroes VIII ask and de
sire II begins with the assertion that
"our race in this State numbers about
61).009 and there is no member of the race
a member of your body, disclaims any
"dictatorial. fault-nnding spirit, and de-
clares an earnest desire to be Of some
assistance in the performance Of grave
and pgrpleNing task.