Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-01-18
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

Il u
When the Constitutional Convention
met yesterday the pending question
was called on the motion to consider
the vote by which biennial sessions
were adopted. Mr.. Wise, Mr.. Mere
dith and others explained that they
voted on Thursday under misapprehen'
sion and that they desired quadrennisl
elections, but biennial essious. The mo.
tion was lost and the convention refused
TO reconsider, thus making the legisla'
ture meet every two years, 90 they do
now instead OF four years, as first provid-
ed In the report. This being disposed of,
the question OF hold-over senators was
taken up and sn amendment adopted
requiring that the senators be elected
at the same time ss the members OF the
House, thus making the term OF sena
tors TWO years. instead OF four, as at
pretsut, These results were obtained
after heated discussions and q recorded
vote. The remainder OF the article on
legislative department was then rapid.
Iy disposed Of aud the article adopted
as a whole and referred to the commit
tee Oh final revision. The defeat OF
the "hold over" system In the Senate,
the friends of the quadrennial sessions
claim, was the very marrow in the whole
fight, anyway. According to their con.
tention it was this feature that the COR
porations desired to preserve above all
others in the report of the Legislative
Committee. With the Senate divided
into two groups it was far easier for that
body TO be dominated by powerful and
selfish interests than when the whole
membership ia elected ct the same time.
Uoder a system OF quadrennial session
of the Legislature the two Uoited
States Senators would have both been
elected probably in 1908. As 1t Ia now
under the primary plan just adopted by
the democratic State committee the
Legislature will really have no part 10
the selection OF the Senators. These
will be nominated OF the primaries. and
the Assembly will simply confirm the
action OF the democratic voters as ex-
pressed at the polls.
Messrs. Ayers aud Flood made strong
speeches 10 favor OF retaining the hold
over senate. Mr.. Flood declared he
bad seen no demand for this change.
he had been an earnest advocate tor
constitutional convention for seven
years for the plrpOse of adopting CD
efficient suffrage plan and not to up
turn and tear own everything else,
and not even give the suffrage question
a single hour OF consideration 10 the
convention after seven months exist
euce. lie paid glowing tribute to the
senate OF Virginia, and recounted the
many great measures it had carried
through, and had put the State 10 the
front rank OF progress and financial
development. He asked what good
could be accomplished by the oonveD-
ton continually putting the legi 'lsture
on trial. Was there any justification
or excuse for i2
Mr.. Z. Walton Moore said the
present system OF electiog senator's was
the very worst qusdrennial system
that could be imaglned. Under il the
people could not possibly change the
legislature without two distinct cleo
tions. He said toe senate as at present
bad proven a barrier to defeat the will
OF the people. 1t had time and again
defeated the wish of the people for an
employers liability bill.
Mr.. Turnbull sprung q sensation in
the suffrage conference last night by
moving to strike out the fret sixty
lines OF the majority report and substi.
tute therefor plan presented by him.
After much discussion it was decided
that the plan should be printed before
being considered. There we're no
speeches last night. The plan Of Mr..
Turnbull imposes 800 property
qualification and $3.50 poll tax, ADD
requires that all poll taxes for four
years preceding the election and prop
erty tax for six months shall be paid.