Evening star., 1902-03-28
AN ELECTORAL BOARD.
Amendment to Section of Re-
port on Suffrage.
JUDGES OF ELECTION
TO BE NAMED BY A BOARD IN
VIRGINIA.
The Board in Turn to Be Named by
County and City
Judges.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
RICHMOND. Va, March 2s-Iast even
ing section of the report on suffrage was
adopted by the democratic conference, pro-
viding for the appointment of judges of
election by circuit court judges. This morn
ing that action was reconsidered and an
amendment providing for the appointment
of three members Of an electoral board,
which board is to name the officers of cleo
ton. This board is to be appointed by the
judges of circuit courts in the counties
and judges of city courts in cities.
Mr.. Braxton of Staunton offered a reso-
luton to be added to the clause on qualif-
cation for office. providing that no negro
should hold any appointive or elective Of
flee in the state. He said that the federal
Constitution specified that the right of no
man to vote should be abridged on account
of his color or previous condition Of servi-
tude, but nothing was contained which pro-
hibted states from enacting into consti-
tuition a provision preventing negroes from
holding office.
Senator Daniel opposed the proposition.
There was no necessity, he said, for the
enactment of the proposed resolution. The
possibility of a negro getting an office In
the state was almost an impossibiity under
the new constitution, and should one hap
pen to get IN Dy Cnance ne SnOul0 De gwen
a chrome. He deplored the fact that there
had been any mention of color line in con-
nection with the constitution. There WAS
a possibility of the constitution being at
tackled in court, and that would only serve
to increase the prejudice of the opposition
and strengthen whatever pretext there
might be for taking the instrument into
court.
CALL only sixteen democrats voting for the
measure. while forty-eight voted in the
negative.
Senator Daniel again came to tie front
with a proposition to allow women to act
as notaries. He said that It was done mere
ly a matter of justice. Women stenog-
raphers in law offices often had to take
dispositions for notaries, which were signed
by the notarieS in some cases without be-
ing read, their signatures affixed and the
fees pocketed by the men. 1t meant that
the women would get a considerable addi-
ton to the salaries received, and they were
entitled to and should receive them. The
section was SO amended as to provide that
men and women should fill the Office when
eighteen years OF age. night was made
to place the age limit at twenty-one years;
this was defeated. The proposition was
then voted on as amended, and was agreed
to by an overwhelming vote.
The afternoon session was devoted to the
consideration of the proposition of Captain
Parks to prevent the use of money in cleo
tions and making ineligible for office any
person who engaged in such practices. The
u
bate.
Another section which precipitated consid-
erable talk was that in regard to prevent
log any person from taking part in any
party primary who was not qualified to vote
in regular election.
Even the conference is beginning to tire
OF the ceaseless talk, and at the afternoon
session a number of members were almost
taken off their feet by demands for a vote
on the various amendments.
General Rufus A. Ayers Of Wise county
said to your correspondent this morning
that he had every reason to believe that
tle new constitution would be proclaimed.
You can say for me-" remarked the gen.
e~al, that within the past few days ] have
been approached by men who were regard
ed as uncompromisingly in favor of submits
sion, and who had so expressed themselves,
that they had made up their minds to vote
to proclaim the constitution. This is not
confined to the democrats. either. Yester-
day / was told By one of the most con-
servative republicans in the body that he
ha6 made up his mind that the proper thing
to do as Virgiaian would be to proclaim
the work in which we are engaged and rid
the people of an annoying and disagreeable
campaign"