Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-02-20
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 20. 1902.
CHARGES AND COUNT Err CHARGES.

Convention is composed of the most con-
scientiCus and patriotic citizens, it is very
amusing to read some of the debates that
have recently been going on in that body.
This is especially true of the debate upon
the report of the Corporations Committee.
Most of the debates on other questions
have disclosed the fact that the Conyen'
ton is extremely partisan, but, If we are
to Judge the body by tie charges members
are making on the floor of the Convention
agaius: each other il, the course Of the de.
; blte on Ahs Corporations Commission
:. Ic)ause, it is constituted largely OF dema'
gogues % the one side and of the paid at
torneys OF corporations on the other side
Those who pre- opposing the creation Of
Corporations Commission with plenary
powers by nsiitutional enactment haye
been chargi that it is dsmagoeic and
and populis IL attempt TO confscate prop
erty and tofseriously interfere with the
development of the State.
In this way the motives Of the members
who have advocated the creation OF such
commission have been harshly called in
question, in desperate effort to prevent
the adoption of measure that would be
so acceptable 10 the masses of the people.
.The harsh criticisms of the Corporations
Commission clause by those who oppose
it, and their sggravating assaults upon the
motives of its advocates have provoked
counter. charges from those who are chain
pionlng the measure.
A most notable instance occurred on
last Wednesday when the Committee OF
the Whole Wa considering the report OF
the Committee on Corporations. MIR. q.
v. Meredith, ne distinguished member Of
the Convention frsm the city of Richmond,
spoke ia support Of the majority report
that is in favsr of the Corporations Com
mission. lie made some pretty plain
statements which it seems were not de-
mel, acc Ndlug to the reports of the de-
We quote from his remarks:
mir. Meredith said he did not mean
sny thing personally offensive, but he
could not help calling attention TO the fact
that every opponent Of the majority re-
port who had arisen on this floor not only
carried free pass in his pocket, but was
in the regular employment and actively
engaged in defending railroads in the
courts and elsewhere. He ssid it i'll be
came such able men to stand on the floor
of the convention and accuse others OF q
deliberate and popuistic attempt to contis
cate property and destroy the develop
ment of the business interests of the
State"
The Richmond Times in it's report Of
this debate said:
Taking up criticisms which had been
made by Messrs. Hunton and Brooke on
the majority report for its verbiage and
phraReoogy, Mr.. Meredith asserted that
neither one of them had offered to assist
Chairman BraIton or the committee, or
made any effort whatever to assist in per-
fecting the report, although they were
lawyers of great experience and ability;
that in the finance Committee, when Mr..
Hamilton was outvoted on any matter, he
would 60 carefully and coDscientiously to
work aud help in properly framing Sec
ton, no matter whether it met with HE
former approval or not. Under such cir
cumstances criticisms came with poor
grace from those gentlemen.
- .'Mr. Hunton arose and stated that he
bs5> been given all opportunity to as
sist in perfesting the majority report; that
it was adopted without discussion of its
provisions section by section and without
an examination of its contents.
chairman Braxton denied that Mr..
Hunton had not had a copy Of the report.
He said it was typewriter aud placed in
the hands of every member OF the COM
mittee several days before it was adopted
and at Mr.. Hunton's own request post.
ponement of vote was had for the explic-
lite purpose of bis having every chance of
examining it and making suggestions.
"Judge Kendall also arose to Substanti.
ate Mr.. Braxtua's statement, when Judge
Brooke raised the point of order that was
made on him Tuesday, and the chair
stopped the diversion"
Such disclosures as these are very well {
calculated 70 shake the faith of the people
in the integrityr6f the Convention. When
numbsra its ablest men are charged on /
the floor with being warped in their con- t
victions on one important question, by {
being the paid attorneys of railroads and j
other corporations, will it be strange if
their sincerity is questioned on other ques.
tons?
Chow the mighty have fallenl" These
men, who have arrogated sovereignty and :
declared that their authority to act is be- 9,
yond the reach Of the people, are openly re
charged with being the subsidized repre-. i
resentatives of the corporations. a.
1t is not our purpose to now say any "
thing about the proposed corporations Of
measure-as TO its merits or dement's.