The Washington times., 1901-07-11
TO CONTROL THE RAILWAYS
A Broad Constitutional Amendment
Offered at Richmond.
Extensive Powers to BE Given to
Three Elective Commissioners,
Who May Fix All Charges-A Fight
Against the e'@Three-fourthsu Clause

| Who May Fix All Charges-A Fight
Against the e..Three-fourthsu Clause
! RICHMOND. Va, July 10.-The fight to
prevent the fire insurance companies
| from Incorporating the 'three-fOurths
| clause" in their policies. which comes up
/ at almost every session of the Legisia-
ture, was inaugurated in the Constitu-
| tional Convention today in a resolution
| providing that, whenever an insurance
policy is issued and a loss occurs under
/ that policy, the company insuring be COM
PEELED to pay the insured the value which
was placed upon the property as specified
| in the policy, and that said insurance
companies be stopped from proving that
| the property insured was of less ovalue
/ than that fixed in the policy.
James II. Lindsay, of Charlottesville,
! offered his amendment to the constitu-
1 tion providing for three railroad commits
! siorars, one to be chosen from each of the
! three grand divisions of the State. and
| elected by the people. The proposed
| clause confers very broad powers upon
| the commission. At present one commits
! sioner is in charge, with somewhat linn
| tied powers. The new commission is to
! establish rates of charges for the trans
| portatiOn of passengers by railroad and
| other transportation companies. and for
/ transporta ton of freight or express mat
/ ter by such companies and tolls for the
! transmission of telegraphie messages and
| to publish the same from time to time.
The commission is also to prescribe
suitable schedules both for passenger and
| freight, for the proper accommodation of
| business and travel to and from points
| within the State, and shall determine
| what portion OF the service of transpor-
I tation lines shall be devoted to such re-
| quirements, and to establish and require
| proper connections with other lines at
| junction ard terminal points.
If the resolution. which was referred to
the Committee on Corporations, is en-
bodied in the constitution all of the trans
portation companies will be under State
! control.
The convention was called to order at
noon by President Goode. prayer being
offered by Delegate Richard McIlwaine,
of Prince Edward.
President tfoode laid before the con-
vention communication from l. ST.
| Pierre, of Mattoax. bearing on the sub
| ject of Sunday observance, and one
from c. B. Hite. of Washington, relative
| to the school system of the State The
communications were referred without
being read.
| Mr.. Moore, of Montgomery, offered an
ordinance prohibiting the taxing of State.
city, or county bonds. Other resolutions
| introduced were:
| Mr.. Moore, of Montg9mery-Pro
insurance companies from incorporating
into policies what is known as the three
quarter clause.
BY Mr.. Parks of Page-Providing for
juries of not more than eight nor less
than five in the trial of misdemeanors and
civil suits
BY Mr.. Ayres, of Wise-To provide for
a tax upon the mineral products. brick
yards. tile works, and potteries, separat-
| ing such products from tax on land
Mr. Barbour. of Culpeper Cby request),
presented a paper concerning the gov
ernment of cities fixing the number of
councflmen in any city at not less than
| five, and, one for each additional 1000
population in cities where the popula-
tion exceeds 10000.
Chairman Newton, from the Commit
tee on Taxation and Finance submitted
a report recommending the adoption of a
resolution calling on the auditor for in
formation as to the amount of taxes paid
| by whites and blacks for the past five
years, whether real or personal, the
amount due the State, and all shortages
by defalcation, embezzlement, or other
cause. The report was adopted.
The Franchise Committee will, according
to statements made by members of the
committee. make report to the conven-
tion within the next week or ten days.
None of the members will allow the use
Of his name IN discussing the nature
Of the report which the committee is to
make. but the sentiment expressed and on
which majority have agreed is that a
poll tax of not less than s. will be re-
quired of all voters
The provision requiring the ownership
and payment of taxes on at least $500
worth of real property viii not receive the
approval of the committee, the idea be-
ing repugnant to many members OF the
convention.
The members express the opinion that
the payment of capitation tax will ac-
complish the same result, especially when
the fact is taken into consideration that
the poll tax provision is so arranged that
II viii not apply to any persons Tor their
descendants) who have rendered military
service to the State or United States This
is the view entertained by the leading
members of the committee.
The county court system as at present
constituted in Virginia is to be abolished.
While the question has been frequently
agitated and generally discussed since the
Constitutional Convention assembled no
The friends of the present court system
have been persistently advocating the re-
tentiOn of the county courts as a part
of the provision made for the Virginia
judiciary in the new constitution
While the Committee on Judiciary has
reached no formal decision in the mat
ter. a majority Of the members today
emphatically expressed themselves as
strongly opposed to a continuance of the
county courts. In fact, the committee
has tacitly decided that Virginia now has
a too expensive judicial system, and that
the first reform to be instituted is to ma
terially decrease the number
It Is also aUthoTitatively stated that
when the committee finishes its report it
will be recommended that there shall be
a decided decrease in the number OF cOun-
" magistrates.
\ proposition that is receiving much
favorable consideration from the Com
mittee on Judiciary is one that provides
that the sessions of the Court of Appeals
be confined to one city. At present this
court meets in the cities of Richmond
Staunton, and Roanoke 1t is the pur-
pose Of the committee to decrease the
expenses of the Judiciary as well as to
increase its efficiency. By confining the
sessions of the Court Of Appeals to one
city it is believed that a large saving |
will be made in expenses for the State |
Richmond will be the logical home Of |
the highest court in Virginia.
At the meeting of the Judiciary Commit |
tee today Chairman Hunton presented !
report from the First Auditor. showing /
the total amount expended in the mainte |