The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-03
WIN Shall Make Our Constitution ?.

Editor of The Times:
Sirs-This is the imminent question be
fore us 1t is transcendent III import
ance. Shall VIC have Constitution made
by the people and for the people, OK cue
uninspired by patriotism and uniiiumlh-
ed by The craftsmanship OF our 1athers-
1t may be either, but We have made a
bad start, which should cause us TO pc
epprehensivc OF dangers ahead
The time before election IS TOO snort
and the time within which nominations
can be made is necessarily still storter.
The people cannot make judicious selec-
ton OF delegates within the prici Perioo
provided by the Legislature.
The period also between the election
and the assembling of the convention
will not permit proper preparation on the
part of the members OF TINS convention
for n work of such magnitude and lar
reaching results. They should acqualht
themselves thoroughly with other state
Constitutions and should incorporate into
ours such features as experience has
shown TO be valuable. All this will re-
quire much reading and deliberate, ma
1ure reflection. Bryce, in his American
Commonwealth, says that one supreme
advantage the American people had lay
in the scores of State Constitutions al
ways before them in framing ne" Con-
stitution- Shall we ignore such a priv
But, having made a false step. 1t be
comes all the more necessary that we
should not make another Inc press
may, in part, remove the evil results by
losing neither time nor opportunity IN cd
ucating The people in regard TO what
they should demand Of our delegates
The newspapers that VIII devote their
columns to the enlightenment of the peo-
pie and to the good of the State. unin-
Anon 1,.-f no of any faction or
class ambitious of control Will deserve
the highest honor and the gratitude OF
the people. How many will prove equal
10 the opportunity? The press is a power,
1.-The palladium of all our civil, political
and religious liberty
The burning question is: Who shall
frame our Constitution Not those who
haze not yet been able TO learn the evils
resulting from the votes of the dcnsely
ignorant and corrupt portion of our pop
uIation. On this point there is not much
difference of opinion 1t would be wise ana
prudent also 10 exclude another very large
and influential class of our citizens,
among whom are TO be found many OF
our very best men. / refer to the class
who hold the offices in the State-both
local and Eencral-and, if You choose
those also who have ever held an office;
for the appetite for office once acquired
is rarely eradicated.
This sweeping exclusion would deprive
the State of the valuable services of the
learned members of our Supreme Court,
and of such men as John Goode, Gov
ernor Tyler A j. Montague, Carter
Glass. J. +. Ryan j. c. Parker and last,
but not least, the father of the move
ment, Eugene Withers. Such men as
these would hail with joy their exclusion,
If thereby our convention could be COM
posed Of absolutely unbiased patriotic Cit
liens.
There would surely be enough business
men and farmers of the highest quality
of head and heart and enough lawyers
learned in the law and men eminent in
other professions, to give us a model Con-
stitution.
We make no reflection upon our office
holders. They are men just like the rest
OF US. In holding the view that they
should not properly belong to the con-
vention which frames our Constitution,
1t it not necessary TO assume that they
nre venal. A juryman even the most re-
motely interested in a suit is struck or.
4 Judge does not believe he is The prop
or man to Try Il case in which he has the
shadow of pecunary concern. You &C
cent no man to arbitrate a cause II you
believe there is any possible ground for
his being biased against your interests,
even unconsciously to himself.
Should we not therefore, a fortiori,
use the same wisdom, caution and pru-
dencc in matters most vitality affecting
the welfare of our people? The question
docs not admit of argument These
words. Eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty" are, indeed, trite, but how true
arc they?
Junius, The apostle Of liberty, warned
the English people that inattention and
Indifference would cost them their rights.
II dc ar .aS CaV
they were in his; as true of US as Of the
English people.
These views are expressed in no hyper
critical spirit. but from a sense Of duty.
HENRY c. RICE.
Coles Ferry, February %, 1901.