The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-28
THE WoKKs OF PATRIOTS.


THE WOkKsOF PARROTS.
The members OF the Consd tntional Con-
yeniion have practically completed their
work and. taken in Its entirety. It is
r good The members came here as the
chosen representative OF the people OF
Virginia Few. IL any OF them, sought
$ this honor with its serious responsibility.
The men simply said to their constituents
that they were willing to serve II their
3 constituents wanted them. The men knew
what was before them, but they did not
I shrink or shirk. It was in q spirit OF
self-sacrifice that they came to Rich
mond to undertake this difficult work,
and 1t has been Mt enormous sacrifice
that they have remained in Richmond
during the greater part OF a year They
these public duties. and they are en-
titled to the respect and gratitude of the
people for this devoted and unselhsh ser
vice which they have rendered, They
have in the main framed a good Consti-
tuition, the best, perhaps. that could have
been framed under existing conditions,
and in view of the conflicting interests.
At#any rate it is conceded that the con-
rention is rs strong, able and true a
body of men as the people of Virginia
are capable Of assembling, and they have
done the best that they could.
There are some features Of the new.
Constitution that are not to our liking.
Ave think that some features Of the
clause relating to corporations is a mis-
take, and We fear that It will DO harm
But the people or Virginia are conserya-
tive, and we may reasonably expect a
conservative administration of the law
It it worse in theory than it is likely
to prove in practice.
3ssa We think also that 1t was a mistake
to limit the rate Of taxation Cor four
Gears 10 so cents Gu The 500, but those
members Of the Finance Committee who
made thorough investigation Of the
subject satisfied themselves that such a
reduction was entirely practicable, and
practicable they reasoned that it was
proper for them to put the reduction into
effect. In doing this they have served
notice upon the members of the Legis-
iature, and members to be elected here
litter, that they must be economical in
their appropria tons. With due economy
pn the part of the General Assembly
there is no ground for fear that any de-
partment of government will be stinted,
nor is there the least reason to fear that
the State will IN any event fail to meet
the interest on her bonds.
AS to the suffrage provision, of course
the understanding clause is Objectionable,
and, for that matter, it is Objectionable
to a majority Of the convention. Few
men in that body were in favor, as an
independent proposition, of putting an
understanding clause into the Con-
stitution of the State, for that term
has become synonym for fraud. But
there was a condition to be met and
many members believed that the t'un-
dersranding clause was the only avail
able remedy for an existing evil. The
Fifteenth Amendment was revolutionary,
aud was intended to be so. and this tenn
porary understanding clause has been
agreed upon as a counter-revolutionary
enactment.
bu'' - may ne ASKED now IS u that
members men VINO uio not oelleNe 'llat such
a cause Is IS. necessary nes 10 save the state
from negro don'f'aliop niaiiy gave their
4 consent TO IT: me answer is simple. Vnr-
I gina IS dlS1oed INTO several dlstincts sec
3 tlo1is, ana q s'uillrase pan "i''ch Wouio
sun. one sectloh "ould De eh,lreiy IN
suited 70 aho'he e and SO 1t was neces-
! silrY 1or members 10 give ana take. Each
ueiesate REPRESENTING certain consult
ue1ieS was vas IN duty oound 70 90 the best
1hae ne cou,eu ior tiat. Constituency Tor
al laolcal ei'is'aaioh rs III inc nature
u a compromise. ne couio not plant
l'i'''se'l upon 4 SVEN pan pan ana say mat
ne Mouiu nave ''iae OF no.ial'ls' lt was
NECESSARY .ilat ne take son1ethirg, ana
7 SO ne eohciuoeo tfat II ne could not Sc
cure Jus. VIAL was pio 's ueslraoie LOT
CO0Ct1tNenrV n11lCf