The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-08
ESENATOR|I lEEzELL
MAY IAIyD|FORII1'
Friends Look Upon Him as Aspi.
rant for Treasurer.
ii WILL Be PROC LAT NED
Growing that Constitution.
Viii Not Be Submitted Contest for
Congress--Notes oflnterest on
Politics and the Convention.

WIN tNOl VIC
Congress-Notes oflnterest on
Politics and the Convention.
'Well-posted friends of Senator George
B. Keezell look upon him as a proba Bile
candidate for State Treasurer at the next
election.
Indeed, Mr.. Keezell himself does not
deny that he has given the matter some
thought, though, of course. thus early
there has been no announcement on the
subject. His reason for not becoming a
candidate last winter was that his people
would have been left without Democratic
representation in the General Assembly,
the county having returned two Republic
cans to the House.
My first duty is to the Democrats OF
Rockingham he said, IN declining to al
low the use of his name. land personal
ambition on my part should be subordl-
mated to their best interests"
But the Tall Sycamore Of Cub Rum"
as heis known up in Rockingham, where
he is the idol of the Democratic masses,
has all along been regarded as a strong
competitor for the position at the next
election.
.'Old Keezell' (as most Of his friends
here call fim), said a member Of the con-
vention the other night. knows more
about the finances Of this State than any
other man in it, and he spoke the opln-
ion of a great many good judges VINO
have watched his course in the Senate
and in the convention. Senator keezell's
friends have never become reconciled to the
alleged manner in which he was ignored
in the makeup Of the Senate committees.
nor do they take at all Kindly the eHort
which is said to have been mace 70 re
publicanize his senatorial district in the
recent reapportionment scheme pys Pidc-
ing Rockingham with Shenandoah n as
senatorial district Mr.. keezell does not
train with the element of the party winch
is dominant in the Senate at present ana
has several times recently given the lat
fer q. great deal Of trouble by leading
the minority forces i'll d most skllltul
manner With men as popular as Messrs.
Hartman and Keezell out Tor the treas
urership next time. the race in the state
urinary promises to be a very interesting
one.
LIKELY TO PROCLAIM
Unless what now appear to pc sooo
signs shall fail. the new Constitution VIII
be proclaimed instead OF beng submitted
10 any electorate for adoption.
The tide is running strongly in that
direction now. and even those who OPP
posed this course are beginning to ex-
r,ress grave fears that they Will never
have a chance to vote upon the new IN
str,1ment. sentiment out in the country
districts is said to be rapidly crystallzlns
in favor of a proclamation. ana dele-
gates leaving here on Saturday we're
aware of 1t.
Prince William the other day by vote
of twenty-one to one declared against
Submission and requested Delegate
Thornton to vote for proclamation. In
the Southwest the voice of the people is
said TO be practically unanimous on the
subject. and business men in that great
and prosperous section are pleading that
the matter. be not again made an issue.
out that the work of tie body snail be
proclaimed.
Numbers of members who were. under
instructions to vote to submit. declared
before leaving the city that they. be-
lieved they would be voluntarily released
by their constituents before their return
here for final action next month.
OFFICE-HOLDERS OPPOSING.
One has only to mix with office holders
for a. little while to discover that they
are not as a rule pleased Win me ,W .fl,
most of them are violently opposed to ITS
promulga ton. Submit it to the present
electorate" is what eight out Of ten OF
them will say regarding its final DISPOSE
ton and then most of them will tell YOU
it will and ought to be defeated. But as
a. rule the office-holders were opposed to
sta ge and it was seldom while the fight
was III progress that one could be found
who with Treasurer II. c.: JOINER, of Am
herst. would say: IF it is necessary for
the public good thai my office shall be
abolished, ] shall :relnquish it most cheer
fully"
The Constitution should be submitted
to the present electorate" said a pronli-
one of the State offices. the other day. 1T
ought to be defeated and if it is submit.
ted. / shall vote and work against it,
A A1a G Eshm G5R Of ef the
fceholder in the State, for they are
known as a general proposition to be OPP
posed to any reform on constitutional
lines. &c
CONVENTION WORK IN SHAPE.
Mr.. J., n. Brenaman, one of the secreta-
ries of the Convention, has put all the
ordinances adopted by the Convention to.
getEer save. that OH suffrage and he VIII
set that from the printer shortly.
The matter makes about one hundred
printed pages and will be taken up and
put in shape, at once by the sub-Commit-
tee on Final Revision and Adjustment.
Monday and begin the task of shaping
up the work for final adoption by the
Convention. when the latter body shall
return here on May I'D. It is not thought
the Convention will sit long when it
comes back. 1t seems to be the concensus
of opinion that the report Of the final
Revision Committee will be speedily
adopted and the -instrument signed by
the delegates. 1t will require some days
for the new Constitution to be engrossed
for signatures by the members.
FINE BODY OF MEN.
Among the many other evidences OF
i,..
caliber of the Constitutional Convention
may be noted these facts:
First. There is not an employe of the
body, or a reporter. who has been with
then, day and night, for ten months. who
does, not speak of them individually and
collectively in terms Of admiration and
affection.
Second. In conversation with citizens
of Richmond the universal comment is
respect for the conscientious effort of the
convention to do the right. regardless of
criticisms. of delay in reaching a con-