Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-06-13
ADJ0URnED,To JUNE rs.
President May be Given Power to Re-
assemble Convention.


The constitutional convention Sat-
urday adjourned until June 18th after
completing all of it's work. The body
could have adjourned sine die, but for
the fact that it has to wait for the
engrossment of the constitution, so
that it can be signed. The most sig.
nificant feature of the days proceedings
was the introduction of resolution per-
hitting the president OF the cOnven-
ton to reassemble the body at any
time he may see fit before January l.,
1903. This authority is not to apply
until the convention shall have reas-
sembled on June %. The resolution
lies over until after the recess.
The object of vesting the presiding
officer with this authority is believed
to be that the convention may be kept
alive to remedy any defects found by
the courts, and possibly to see whether
the legislature will carry out the pro-
visions of the new constitution.
The convention elected all of the
registration boards upon whom will
devolve the execution of the under
standing clause of the new law. The
following are the boards elected for
Staunton, Augusta and Highland
counties
StauntOn-FirstW ard-J. A. Hutch
eson, w. B. McChesney and r. E. r..
Nelson. Second Ward-John M. Car
roll, Geo. W. Biackley and Dennis
Brown.
Augusta-South River-C. Benton
Coiner, John T.. Smith and Samuel b.
Harper.
North River-E. G. Crist, M. Bruce
Whitmore and g. H. Fulton.
Beverly Manor-W. P. Gay, W. A.
McComb and c.. F. Neel.
Riverheads-J. Marshall Mcclure,
8. A. D. Mckee and g. Lewis Clemmer.
Middle River-Jas. T. Kerr, Samuel
H. McCue and John 8. Richey.
Pastures-James W. Seig, D. F.
Hoover and John W. Montgomery.
-Stonewall-Joh o. Arm
strong, w. r. Siron and H. T. Brad.
shaw.
Monterey-S. B. Seig. John A..
Whitelaw and Don. Sullenberger.
Blue Grass-John K. Kramer, E. W
Armstrong and Samuel A. Gilmore.
BENEFITS TO THE STATE.
Speaking of the work of the conven
ton and the benefits to be derived by
the State from the new constitution,
President John Goode says:
"While the revised and amended
constitution may not be altogether FREE
from objection or entirely acceptable
In every respect, it is, in my opinion
the best constitution that could hav,
been framed under the circumstances
and certainly is very decided i'm
provement upon that under which W,
now live.
"When the members of the conven
tion assembled nearly II months ag'
they found themselves confronted will
most serious conditions. They coult
not disregard the 14th and 10Th amend
ments of the Federal constitution, ant
were bound to obey them as part O.
the supreme law of the land, The,
realized that the different sections O
our State, not being entirely homoge
neous, held conflicting views upon th
all absorbing subject of suffrage. Fo
many months they wrestIed with tina
Yexed question. In the language of th
Supreme Court of Mississippi the
swept the field of expedients. The,
have adopted plan of suffrage whic
will accomplish the paramount objec
for which the convention was called,
plan which will effectually eliminat
negro suffrage, and at the same tim
preserve the rights of the white man a
far as it can possibly be done without
violating the 18th amendment.
"They have cut down the expense
| of the State government.
"TheY have reduced the rate of taxa
ton, because they felt that they hat
no right to take from the people any
more mon ey than Is absolutely neces
sary to defray the expenses of the gov
eminent economically administered
"They have adopted a new jury sys
tenn which will not only greatly facili
tate the trial of causes, but save con.
siderable expense to the State as wei
as to the counties, cities and towns.
"They have introduced salutary re
forms in the executive, legislative ano
judiciary departments.
"They have made valuable changes
in the organization of the counties and
| in the government of cities and towns
They have devised just and equita
BILE system of taxation and, by chang
ing the system of exemption, have
added largely to the taxable values of
the State.
"They have adopted plan for the
government of the public institutions
and prisons, which will not only greatly
improve their efficiency, but remove
them entirely from the field of part J
politics, a contamination devoutly tt
be Wished
They have made it mandatory upor
the General Assembly to enact laws
preventing all trusts, combinations
and monopolies inimical to the public
welfare.
They have established a corporal ior