The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-03
Delegates TO the constitutional Convention.

Lexington. Va.
Delegates TO the Constitutional Convention.
Editor of The Times:
Sir,-The Constitutional Convention to
assemble next June, will be one of the
most important of the many noted as
semblieS that have assembled in the Com
monwealth, and, in Justice and right,
each section or division of the State
should have an equal representation in
proportion to population in this body,
which is expected to consider many
things of great interest TO the different
sections.
The act providing for the selection of
the delegates to this convention should
have proportional the delegates to dis
tricts as nearly equal in population as
possible, dsreSardinS, if necessary, for
the proper and equal distribution of the
delegates, any or all of the former di-
visions of the State into districts, such
as House of Delegates, senatorial or con-
gressional There is no reason or justice
in trying to divide up the State in a GER
tain way, just because the State has
been previously divided in that way for
the election Of members of the House of
Delegates, if the population of the State
has changed and-if the divisions, as made
for the members of the House, not
equal in population, or were not equal at
the time they We're made.
There is no reason or excuse why the
IIegisla ture that has just adjourned
should give one section of the State one
delegate for less than 5000 people and
in another part only one delegate to over
10000 people. AS ridiculous as this ap-
pears, it is just what they did. The CEN
sus bulletins of the twelfth census had
time before the meet
ing of the Legislature, which gives the
population Of the State by counties, cities,
towns and other minor civil divisions. 1t
was the duty of the Legislature to pro-
portion these delegates in accordance
with the census..returns of 1900.
A very Slight examination of the popu-
lation of the several delegate districts.
as designated by the act approved Feb
ruary 18th, 1901, to provide for the selec-
ton of delegates to the Constitutional
Convention, shows some very startling
differences in the population of a large
number of districts. If the Legislature
had left the division of the State and the
apportionment of the delegates to some
game of chance, they would have most
likely improved the present unequal and
unfair distribution
The census of 1900 shows the State to
have 1,S541S4 people, and on the basis of
100 delegates each delegate should repre-
sent about 1851 inhabitants, near
that number possible. 1t would be I'M
possible to have the districts absolutely
equal in population, but this does not
excuse or justify the Legislature in Civ
ing only one delegate to the growing and
prosperous county of Norfolk, and who
will represent over five times as many
inhabitants the delegate from the
county Of R1rpahannock. Note the fol-
lowing:
The five largest districts. Population.
Norfolk county, one delegate...... o0,IS0
New Kent, Charles City, James
City, Warwick, York, Williams
burg and Newport News, one del
egatc ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ai,bb0
Buchanan, Dickinson and Wise,
one delegate. Observation-Disclosures. 81 ,Q92
Henrico one delegate................ SC, OG2
Allegheny, Bath and Highland. one
delegate.... 2S,oi2
Total. ~. observation-disclosures. IVA, lob
These i've divisions of the State, with
combined population of 1876, over one
tenth of the population of the whole
State, will be represented in this con-
vention by five delegates, or one delegate
to each IS, 1888 people. These counties and
cities are entitled to ten delegates, and
still have S,74S population over.
The five smallest districts. Population.
Rappahannock, one delegate........ S,s4S
King and Queen, ono delegated. 800
Petersburg, two Delegates. 21,S1O
Prince William, one delesate...... n,n2
Total...... ol'ooo
These five divisions of the State, with
combined population Of only o1t@0. with
III, re ftca ronr1f1.
alton of the State, will be represented
n the convention by five delegates. or
ne delegate to each 1o.206 people. Upon
/, fair and equal apportionn1ent these
three counties and one city would nor
have population enough by 1858 to entltle
hem to three delegates, and. While the
me delegate from the county of Nor
folk will be representing oo,lso people.
hese five delegates will only be repre-
enting $50 people more than the one DEL
gate from Norfolk county.
The five districts with the nearest the
.orrect population are:
Fluvanna and Gooch-
land, one delegate. 1850 or y over
Fairfax, one del
eGate...... ....-..-.- lS,aeV VI % W.
Frederick and VIM
one delega te..-..--. is, 400 or I'll unoer
Brunswick, one del
ecate... .......... 1877 or S2t under
Lynchburs. one del
ccate. 1881 or $50 over
Total .. 2.657 IS under
ROLAND L. CHASE.
Clintwood, Va, February 2Sth, 1901.
Tribute Well Merited.
Editor The Times:
Sir,-There is an incident, which. at this
time, I am sure would be OF interest to
your many readers. in fact, to all South-
crners, as once again and with added
honors has familiar name been made